The fourth title in the Peter and the Starcatchers series (originally planned as a trilogy of prequels to Barrie's classic Peter Pan), this adventure involves a magical sword once wielded by Charlemagne and now held by the forces of evil as they attempt to seize a cache of starstuff, the powerful substance that the Starcatchers must protect. Wendy steps into her mother's shoes as the story's heroine, while the action zigzags from one set of characters and locales to another. Full of narrow escapes from nasty villains and bits of humor, this fast-paced adventure delivers plenty of thrills.

What happens when courageous and imaginative children turn into adults? Twenty-three years have passed since PeterÆs last adventures with the Starcatchers, and although Peter is still a reckless boy with the ability to fly, the rest of the world has changed. PeterÆs friend Molly is now a grown woman, a respectable wife, and mother with a daughter of her own. The Starcatchers have all but disbanded, as there have been no sightings of new starstuff for years and their great enemy Ombra is dead. So when former Lost Boy James, now a London policeman, discovers that Ombra is still alive, Molly does not believe him until it is too late and they are kidnapped by the villain. Luckily MollyÆs preteen daughter, Wendy, is as brave and resourceful as her mother once was, and she embarks on a dangerous journey to the magical Mollusk Island to enlist PeterÆs help. Ombra is creepy and menacing, hatching a sinister and deadly plot to steal the hidden cache of remaining starstuff. Ombra is aided by a new and perhaps even scarier henchman, the Skeleton, and Peter struggles to overcome his fear of this terrifying foe. As in all the Starcatchers installments, this adventure is fast and intense, and readers will feel compelled to find out what happens next. Even though it is the fourth volume, the story holds up well on its own and should not be too confusing for readers new to the series.ùAmy Luedtke.

Gr 5-8 It's 1902, 23 years since the events of the last book, and Peter and the other inhabitants of Mollusk Island haven't aged a day. In London, however, things are much different. Molly is now married with three children: Wendy, Michael, and John. The Others seem to have disappeared, and the Starcatchers are all but gone from this world. But all is not well on Mollusk Island, or in London. Evil Ombra has inhabited the body of a man and made himself Prince Albert Edward's closest advisor and seen to the death of his true advisors. Queen Victoria is dying, and the prince will soon be king. It is now Wendy's turn to take up her mother's cause and convince Peter to join the fight between good and evil yet again. Followers of these adventures will be overjoyed at finding a new installment in the series. New readers, however, will be lost if they don't pick up Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (Hyperion, 2007) first. Barry and Pearson again give kids a quick-paced read with nonstop action. Lisa Marie Williams, East Gwillimbury Public Library, Holland Landing, Ontario

Barry and Pearson deliver a snappy adventure in this fourth Peter book. Wendy, Peter, and the Starcatchers fight to keep a cache of starstuff from the hands of the evil Skeleton and Baron von Schatten (possessed by Ombra). Though there's too much going on and the book is way too long, the story's unflagging pace makes quick work for fans.