Darling

Gr 9 Up–Wendy Darling’s first Saturday night in Chicago takes an interesting turn when a charming boy named Peter crawls through her window and invites her to a party. With her BFF Eleanor a text away, Wendy jumps at the chance to explore the city with the handsome, albeit slightly reckless, Peter. Along the way, she meets friends like Tinkerbelle, Ominotago, and Fyodor while establishing a new enemy in Detective Hook. What begins as one impulsive night on the town turns ominous as a darker side of Peter is revealed. If Wendy makes it till morning, she’ll never be the same again. Ancrum delivers a creative modern adaptation of a children’s classic. Wendy is a character to root for as she maneuvers her way through the streets of Chicago. While cleverly transitioned to the 21st century, this Peter Pan retelling lacks the character depth needed to elevate the intrigue and mystery. Eleanor’s presence on the page serves more as a plot filler rather than a critical piece of the story. Though savvier readers may predict the creepy twist, it’s nevertheless sure to leave their skin crawling. Wendy is Black, Peter is white, and the supporting cast is diverse in ethnicity and sexual orientation: Ominotago (the Tiger Lily replacement) is Ojibwe and Irish and bi, Fyodor (Wendy’s romantic interest) is Russian and biromantic asexual.