Peter Pan - My Picks of the Best Illustrated Children's Editions

Pin It

My new favorite Peter Pan
illustrated by MinaLima

POST UPDATE: As my old favorite, the Scott Gustafson illustrated version of Peter Pan is no longer available - I am now recommending the MinaLima illustrated version of Peter Pan, due to its inclusion of interactive elements that are certain to fascinate any young reader!

The new MinaLima illustrated Peter Pan may not be everyone's cup of tea - so be sure to preview it, just to make sure it is in line with your expectations. 

It is like a 21st century version of an early 20th century classic. 

I like to think that modern kids have new expectations and that we can offer them a completely new approach to an old story - and this MinaLima illustrated editions does that amazingly. 

It contains many colorful illustrations as well as surprising 3d elements such as a pull-out map of Neverland and a special interactive clock (the croc o'clock) that you fiddle with by turning its hands. 

I know which question is lingering on your lips, as I write this sentence.

Who is MinaLima?

The MinaLima illustrated Peter Pan

MinaLima is a studio, not a person. 

And it is best known for taking part in the Harry Potter movies series by creating the visual stamp for the Harry Potter movies.

You wouldn't be wrong if you say that MinaLima is not a person, but is two persons. 

Namely, the London-based graphic design studio was established by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima.

After I updated this post with the information about this new MinaLima edition, a great friend of the Read Aloud Dad blog - Rodrigo Morlesin contacted me.

Rodrigo had just returned home from the Guadalajara International Book Fair  -the biggest such fair in Spanish language in the world. - told me he had a copy of the new MinaLima book.

And guess what - he made a short video for you and me about the new MinaLima edition! And here it is:

For my Spanish-speaking friends, Rodrigo has a fabulous blog Chum! where he interviewed many of the greats from the KidLit worlds such as Lemony Snicket, Roberto Innocenti, Eric Carle, Ian Falconer...

Rodrigo gracias, mi amigo!


My original post follows:
=====================

Last week a delightful letter arrived in my mailbox.

Sandra - a charming reader of this blog - had a question.

After reading my review of an enchanting illustrated version of the original Pinocchio, Sandra said she wanted to find more smashing illustrated classics for kids.

Roberto Innocenti's illustrated Pinocchio had impressed her. But she had a new wish. Let me quote part of her e-letter:

"Now, if fate would smile on me once more and point me in the direction of another great classic, Peter Pan.  You saved me with Pinocchio.  Do you by chance have a recommendation for a great Peter Pan edition? 

This is another one with endless editions and illustrators.  If there's one by Roberto Innocenti, I missed it.  Wouldn't that be a dream?  I'm having that deja vu feeling again...another rabbit hole perhaps?  Thank you ever so much!" 

Sandra 

I told Sandra I had good and bad news for her.

The bad news was that she would have to several days for my response in the form of this blog post.

The good news -  several months ago I bought a great illustrated Peter Pan that I love.In fact it was more than half a year ago - I just looked it up!

Sandra - let me thank you for the great question! I had a great time writing this post.

But, let's not lose more time... lets start our quest for Read Aloud Dad's top illustrated version of Peter Pan! Read on!

Gustafson's Peter Pan

Chances are some readers did not read my best illustrated version of Pinocchio review, so let me briefly  repeat what is the object of today's treasure hunt:

Our ideal Peter Pan would have to be:

1. Hardcover

2. Unabridged (Not a synthesized, easy reader, learn-to-read, edited or watered-down version).

3. Illustrated - nicely if possible!

4. A big enough "read-aloud edition" (not a pocket book)

5. The illustrations, layout, fonts, covers and presentation must capture our imagination after we leaf through the book in a store or library or online.

Peter Pan 100th Anniversary Edition (ill. Michael Hague)

Even though one can find many editions of a book on sale, it is pretty difficult to pass all of these conditions.

My first candidate was the:

1. Michael Hague illustrated Peter Pan (100th Anniversary Edition).

I was excited to read the words "100th Anniversary Edition" in the title, I was practically certain that this would be the book for me. 

It is evident from the cover page that it is a completely original different Peter Pan (look at Peter Pan's hairdo!) from Disney's! But we are not looking for Disney. So that's a plus.

This is a 176-page Hague extravaganza (10.3 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches, weighing at 1.9 pounds). This book ticked all the boxes I wanted. Almost.

Hardcover? Yes

Unabridged? Yes

Illustrated? Yes

Big enough? Yes

Captures my imagination? Not sufficiently.

I really did want to like it, but I was - and still am - missing a certain je ne sais quoi. It just didn't click with me. The illustrations, I mean. I found them rich, heavy in symbolism, really imaginative, everything was OK on face value.

1987 edition of Michael Hague's Peter Pan

Still, the book did not work for me because the illustrations left me cold. I wasn't interested in the fate of Hague's Peter Pan.

A brief glance at the original Michael Hague 1987 edition failed to convince me, in fact it just reinforced my feelings.

This wasn't promising. My lack of enthusiasm towards the book's imagery would undoubtedly spill over into my reading and my kids would detect it one day.

I knew I had to look elsewhere for my personal Peter Pan.

But, I do think that Hague's Peter Pan is excellent value for money - just make sure that you like the illustrator's style. Most reviews for it are very positive - keep this in mind!

But the search had to go on for me.

No surprise there - a search for the best edition usually takes large chunk of your time.

My next candidate was the:

2. Sterling Classics edition of Peter Pan, illustrated by Scott McKowen

What a charming cover image (and nicely priced version) of Peter Pan!

Hardcover? Yes

Unabridged? Yes

Illustrated? Not really

Big enough? Yes

Captures my imagination? Yes - but only the cover! 

By the way, I love the philosophy behind the Sterling Classics. They offer affordable, unabridged and hardcover versions of children's classics! Great combination. When building a children's library at home, one can't fill it up only with luxurious large hardcovers with page-to-page illustrations.

Sterling Classics version of Peter Pan

Moderation is needed even in children's literature and saving a dollar here or there is a worthy cause!

This size of this Peter Pan edition is 8.2 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches (weight 14.4 ounces).

Yet, the Sterling Classics - although they are marketed as illustrated and unabridged versions of children's classics - really stumble in the illustrated department. The promise of colorful and buoyant illustrations that is implicitly made on the cover pages is not fulfilled.

Inside, these editions mostly consist of text, text, text (pleasant font and layout for reading), but the small  black and white illustrations are very, very few in number.

I was also hoping to see a colorful cover underneath the dust jacket... but no.

This sort of broke the deal for me and I went on to look for other options.

Some options I eliminated outright like the:

3. Collector's Library edition of Peter Pan and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens

Paradoxically, even though it was the smallest one, I simply could not "swallow" it's its diminutive size (6 x 3.7 x 0.7 inches, 6.4 ounces).

Collector's Library edition of Peter Pan

This edition is bound in real cloth and even includes Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, the touching fairy tale in which Barrie first introduced Peter!

So, if size is not an issue, you could look into this edition.

Hardcover? Yes

Unabridged? Yes

Illustrated? Yes

Big enough? No

Captures my imagination? Didn't even reach this test. 

But I must admit, I did not even check the quality of its illustrations by Arthur Rackham and F.D. Bedford - just because I eliminated it as too small for reading aloud to two kids.

Although I am yet to reveal my favourite Peter Pan, let me tell you that the good news is that there are more options today, than when I ordered.

One interesting new Peter Pan option that is available today (and wasn't available when I was ordering) is:

4. Michael Foreman's Peter Pan and Wendy (Illustrated Classics)

This lavish edition wasn't in the equation when I was making my personal selection - I simply did not know of it. 

But it is an interesting option.

This is a book book: It's 12 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches and weighs 2.4 pounds.

A brief glance at it reveals that it passes most tests!

Hardcover? Yes

Unabridged? Yes

Illustrated? Yes - a couple of watercolors per chapter

Big enough? Yes

Captures my imagination? I think it would, but I'm not sure about all the illustrations - I haven't seen them.

So check out the illustrations in terms of style and artistic effect before you buy!

Speaking of new editions, fans of acclaimed children's book illustrator Robert Ingpen will be heartened to know that they can also buy his

5. Peter Pan and Wendy: Centenary Edition  (Robert Ingpen)

This exact Ingpen edition was not available when I was ordering for my twins. The size of this 216-page edition is suitable for read-alouds with 9.5 x 7.9 x 1.3 inches and a weigh of 2.2 pounds.

Robert Ingpen's trademark illustrations are world famous and if you like the style - you are in luck!

Ingpen has illustrated some of the best children's classics and just a little digging will reveal a treasure trove of wonderfully illustrated books for your little pumpkins at home.

Hardcover? Yes

Unabridged? Yes

Illustrated? Yes
Big enough? Yes

Captures my imagination? Alas no.

Although this is clearly a fantastic book cover - no doubt about it - I am not a fan of Robert Ingpen's illustrations in children's books.

His drawings are usually darker, colder and more impersonal than I prefer. (this is merely a personal opinion of course - not an objective valuation of his artistic merit).

So, we meet again Monsieur Ingpen... but, alas, I pass - again.

Now we come to my all-time favourite edition:

6. The Viking Juvenile Peter Pan edition, illustrated by Scott Gustafson.

This edition boasts 50 oil paintings in full color! My heart skips a beat when I see them and if I have a complaint - I am truly sad that there are not more of Gustafson's oil paintings. This is already the best version in my opinion, but it could have been a book to kill for - if it had even more illustrations.

Scott Gustafson's Peter Pan

Are the illustrations good? The pictures are simply perfect for children AND adults.

I must admit that I have been in love with Gustafson's illustrations ever since I ordered his masterpiece Classic Fairy Tales. That book I simply do not know how to describe. It is simply intoxicating with its beauty.

For parents with young children, do check out also his remarkable Favourite Rhymes From Mother Goose. Amazing!

Well, Gustafson's master touch has been transposed onto Peter Pan with such feeling for the characters. From the cheeky boyish charm of pretty Peter Pan, to the awe-inspiring Captain Hook.

Scott Gustafson spent approximately four years painting the fifty illustrations in this book.

It is evident why. (And if you must ask - none of the original oil paintings are available for sale).

The two-page paintings of Peter Pan duelling with Captain Hook and of the lost boys on the island are incredible. I must admit, that I would want more illustrations in this book. Still 50 color illustrations on 180 pages is not bad by any means.

Since I bought this edition, I've been itching to read it. But then I stop myself - I want to share the first reading with my twins.

It will be a reading to remember as this book promises to be a marvelous read-aloud.

Gustafson's Peter Pan

Still, does it pass my full test?

Hardcover? Yes

Unabridged? Complete and unabridged!

Illustrated? Yes

Big enough? Yes

Captures my imagination? Yes indeed! 

For your benefit, I will include several more illustrations from Gustafson's Peter Pan edition.

I find them so gorgeous that I can't imagine reading another edition!

But then, Scott Gustafson is to blame - all his illustrated books are equally fanastic.

So, Sandra, it's good news after all - you have a great selection to choose from!

If you do make a selection, do tell me.

I feel as excited as you are!



The MinaLima illustrated version of Peter Pan is available from bookstores in the US

Amazon

The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping)


and in other countries:

Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon DE

Or check out an audio edition (unabridged) below: