(Thank you to NetGallery and Penguin Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I love middle grades as they bring the magic and whimsical feeling that many adult fantasy books miss. I feel as if they bring forth so much that they just can't be accepted into an adult fantasy world which is why I always reach for them when I need a feel-good book that will make me smile.

I requested it firstly because of the cover! The stunning illustration and colours make it the perfect wintery read. In addition, the cover promises magic and adventure, which is precisely what this book is.

This book may be a fairytale, but if you delve deeper into the story, you can see that it's genuinely about the bond between siblings and the fun and love they share. It's about two heroes, Martha and Scruff, who are desperate to get back to each other, which will ultimately have you rooting for them from the beginning.

The story is beautiful and whimsical and took me back to when all I wanted to do was 'grow up' too fast. It celebrates growing up in a way and how it may not be exactly what we want when we are forced to grow up.

This was a perfect read, and as someone that has never read books by Abi Elphinstone before, it has made me want to binge the entirety of her works.

One of the best visits to Neverland I have ever made!

I loved this, and I'm going to dive right in to what I loved most: the charm and wit and insight with which Abi Elphinstone writes. She manages to retain the wordplay and charm that I associate with J.M.Barrie's original while writing a Neverland adventure that includes contemporary children and offers deeper meaning and bittersweet elements to older readers as well. I always just thought of Peter Pan as an adventure, until, when I was a teen, I watched the 2003 film which seemed to show how Neverland reflected Wendy's relationship with her father, and what Peter misses out on by being The Boy Who Never Grew Up, and Saving Neverland has the same depth that I recognised then. Younger children can read this and enjoy a land of frost beasts, pirate ghosts, fairies, derring-do, toy friends come to life, and just general wonder, and adults will get the nostalgia, the element of tragedy, and the need to remember to 'Grow down' as well as 'Grow up', if we grow down a little bit, we'll be able to retain that joy of small things so much easier! Love it!

The cover design is gorgeous, I love the names of the toys and the characters the children meet, I love the lessons this teaches children, and older siblings about the importance of their responsibility without the neglect of their own sense of adventure (I am an eldest child, so I get it!), Martha Pennydrop is an extremely relatable and strong main character, brave and loving with limitations to recognise and overcome.

Neverland itself was always a semi-tropical place of sunshine and lagoons, Saving Neverland turns Neverland into a snow and frost-filled setting with mountains and snow and promise, so readers who love polar adventures, Frozen, and snow tales will love this.

Here's a line from near the end, it doesn't spoil too much plot-wise, but it's such a nice exchange, that you might want to ignore the next sentence if you want to discover it for yourself:
<spoiler>
'I thought I'd outgrown adventures, but it turns out they're a bit bigger than I thought.'
Scruff nodded enthusiastically. 'Adventures are huge. Even woolly mammoths can fit inside them.'
</spoiler>

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Children's UK for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review, and thank you for sharing a book that I can genuinely rave about!

(Thanks to Net Galley & Penguin Random House).
Wow, Just Wow! I Never Expected for a Children's Novel Blow me Out of the Water & Back Again But this One Did, The Writing is Superb, The Cover Art is Exquisite & It Made Me A Part of the Adventure. 5 Stars, Highly Recommended!

Saving Neverland was riotously good fun. With plenty of links back to the original story, Elphinstone brings the traditional tale up to the present day, stomping on stereotypes whilst keeping the story fresh and interesting for younger readers. The winter setting felt very Narnia-esque and a little unnatural for Neverland but made complete sense in the context of the story (even if I personally was a little disappointed not to see more of the mermaids as a result). I finished this in a single sitting and will be passing copies into the hands of every young person I know.

I love Peter Pan, I love the different adaptations but I have to say this is one of my favourites.
I always wonder what would happen if another family moved in.
Martha is in a rush to grow up and forget childhood but the house, scruff and Peter have a different path for her to follow!
Let the magic whisk you away to Neverland and let the adventure begin….

A wonderful adventure taking us on a tour of this wintery Neverland and finding conflict with tigers, sharks, and bears, but Oh my! These are so different from your usual types.

A magical adventure, and sequel of sorts to Peter Pan, that reminds us of the oft-emphasised but still important lesson that growing up and growing older are not mutually exclusive, and that growing up doesn't mean you have to lose your sense of fun and imagination.

It’s not easy to get a retelling of a classic story like Peter Pan right but this was safe in Abi Elphinstone’s hands! She has done such a perfect job here and this would be a delight for any child (or adult) to get lost in.

The characters have been updated/adapted in a really clever way - they are still recognisable as those from J.M.Barrie’s classic but have been given new personalities and modern challenges to face. Martha was a particular favourite character of mine, believing that growing up changes everything but the magic and adventure here show that you can have fun at any age.

I’d highly recommend this book - Abi Elphinstone is a gifted writer of children’s books has created a truly magical and heart warming story of friendship and adventure.

Magic, adventure and a lovely sprinkle of danger, this series is perfect for all sorts of younger readers. Whether they already have a love of Peter Pan or if this is their first foray into Neverland, they will fall in love with it and it's many exciting features.

I haven't read the original book, but I have seen the Disney movie, so I wasn't completely unaware of the world. There's mentions of the original characters to spark excitement in anyone who is already familiar with the story, but there's also plenty of new stuff to enjoy as well.

One of the things I really loved was the riddles and rhymes in the book. It took me back to a childhood reading Redwall books. Though a very different story than Redwall, the riddles and little poems in the book are definitely reminiscent of that series and honestly should be included in all books because they just plain fun.
I liked the themes of family, what lengths Martha would go to in order to get her brother home safely, but my favourite bits were her struggle between wanting to grow up in order to keep him safe and her childlike wonder and excitement. I really liked the book's message about how growing up isn't always about not playing and having fun.

All in all, I really enjoyed this and think it would be great for any reader young or old.

Martha Pennydrop has reluctantly left her childhood behind. No longer can she afford to spend time playing with her brother, Scruff, reading him bedtime stories under the duvet, or even enjoying one of his lovely hugs like she used to. Instead, now she's ten, it's all about to-do lists, being the sensible one, and never letting the Terrible Day happen ever again. Of course that also means adventures are no longer allowed which is a bit of a problem when you're visited by a fairy called Muddle and a boy who says he needs their help to save save a place called Neverland from everlasting winter and his own arch enemy!

This lovely book is author Abi Elphinstone's modern re-imagining of the J M Barrie classic children’s story, Peter Pan and was a joy to read. I have to admit to being a little unsure at the start but I was soon as caught up in the magic as Martha and Scruff! Although this is a positive, uplifting story there is also a sadness running through it which highlights how, at any age, or in any reality, the need for companionship, understanding, and trust are universal. The solution to these problems are also here, highlighting how, by being true to ourselves and those we love most, anything is possible.

As is mentioned in the Author's notes, the days of Wendy's sock mending talents are, thankfully, long gone with both Martha and Scruff having their own part to play in trying to defeat the menacing Captain Hook. There are however, enough nods to the original to keep the continuity and nostalgia strongly in place. The illustrations by Geraldine Rodriguez are beautifully crafted, compliment the written descriptions brilliantly and mean I now need a woolly mammoth exactly like her interpretation of Martha's.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. Despite my initial hesitancy I thoroughly enjoyed this modern take on a childhood favourite and happily recommend it, especially if it is to be read under a duvet on a cold winter's night.

Saving Neverland
By Abi Elphinstone
Published by Puffin books & Penguin Reading House UK

10 year old Martha Pennydrop is desperate to grow up & forget all about childhood, but trying to ignore fun, magic and your own imagination is very tricky especially when Peter Pan - full of bravado & reservations turns up at the window of your new house.
This cleverly written & reworked adventure takes you on a journey full of familiarity and mischief. Full of twists and turns that bring the whole idea of magic, mystery and adventure into the 21st century whilst retaining precious aspects of the original.

When Neverland is discovered to be in the icy grip of a terrible curse cast long ago by Captain Hook, who will save the day? Only strong willed and desperate to please Martha and her younger brother Scruff can save it … or will they?

This modern, reimagined storytelling is full of awe & wonder, playful but inclusive, whilst never loosing its core; “the thing about adventures is that they don’t leave anyone behind!”

So when Scruff is kidnapped, Martha must rediscover all the imagination, magic and belief she has buried deep inside herself for so long, to save him - and Neverland itself.

So get your copy now & make sure you don’t get left behind because who doesn’t want to go on one last adventure?


Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of children’s literature.

#Netgallery
#SavingNeverland
#puffinbooks
#penguinreadinghouseuk

Published by: Puffin, 5th Jan 2023

👍👍👍👍👍

Revisiting a childhood favourite is always a bit of a gamble: will it live up to expectation or will it not? This is exactly how I felt when I opened the first page of Saving Neverland by Abi Elphinstone as Peter Pan, created by J.M Barrie, is one of my favourite children's classics in terms of both setting and characters.

I needn't have worried, though. Saving Neverland, which has echoes of the original but is injected with Abi Elphinstone's incredible imagination and evocative writing, is a delight from start to finish. Magical yet menacing, it is a race against time to save everything the Neverlanders hold dear and a chance for Martha to rescue her beloved brother, whilst re-embracing her own childhood.

After a terrible incident on a terrible day, ten year old Martha Pennydrop has turned her back on childhood. But when Peter Pan turns up at 14, Darlington Road, urgently needing help to break Hook's icy curse over Neverland, Martha and her little brother Scruff find themselves launched into an epic adventure involving fairies, frostbears and ghostly pirates, including the legendary Captain James Hook himself. Is Martha the only one who can help Peter Pan save Neverland and can she avoid another 'terrible day'?

This is something really special. Not only has Abi Elphinstone handled an old-school classic with the utmost care, she has reinvented it with the golden touch of a genius writer. All the ingredients which make Neverland a memorable setting are there: the lost children, the dens, the burrows, the mermaid lagoons and the threat of terrible pirates, all wrapped up in a brand new quest of ice, snow, sweetshops, woolly mammoths and, of course, battles. For young readers, this makes the world of Peter Pan newly accessible, creating a fan base across a new generation and keeping the classic alive. I particularly loved the scene with the sharks, Martha's frank exchange with Peter in the ice cave and the sinister appearance of the ghostly pirates at the end of the novel.

The real heartstring draw under the adventure, however, is the sibling bond between Martha and Scruff. Scruff's asthma adds another very real threat to the high-stakes adventure while Peter's lack of family only adds to the emotion. Abi Elphinstone also brings strong and delicious depictions of food to the novel, definitely adding to the enticing nature of the island. The story was truly enchanting from start to finish and coated my Christmas in fairy dust.

Saving Neverland is the most magical, mesmerising story that swept me wholeheartedly into its icy world adventure with unforgettable characters, incredible feats of peril and delight and heart-warming bonds of family and friendship. In fact, this was so good that I have already read it twice, and cannot wait to share it with my class.
Martha Pennydrop has moved to a townhouse at Number 14 Darlington Road with her father and younger brother, Scruff. Martha is adamant that it is about time she grows up: after all, she is ten years old! Silly things like believing in magic, imaginative games and hugging must stop, but Martha is about to discover that magic is real as a boy and a fairy fly through the window-that-never-shuts …
Peter Pan and Muddle have flown from Neverland to ask for her help to save their home which is in the icy clutches of a curse laid upon it by Peter’s arch-enemy, Captain Hook. Should Captain Hook and his pirates successfully fulfil the curse and return to Neverland, its magic will disappear forever and the joys of childhood will vanish from the Mainland.
Whilst Martha is reluctant to leave her home, Scruff has no such qualms and, with a sprinkling of fairy dust, flies out of the window with his teddy None-the-Wiser. Martha finds the courage to follow and it is not long before they arrive in Neverland only for Scruff to be kidnapped …
And so begins the MOST captivating, unputdownable adventure fizzing with excitement, peril and imaginative delights that kept me turning page after page with awestruck relish. Will Martha find the magic, belief and courage hidden within to save both her brother and Neverland before time runs out?
Saving Neverland epitomises everything I love in children’s books – in any books! It reaches out and wraps me in a comforting, safe hug whilst taking me on incredible adventures where imagination knows no bounds, where fears are faced with courage, where strong bonds of friendship are built and where empathy and the most gorgeous uplifting messages of hope, kindness and wonder live at its heart.
This is a truly unforgettable adventure that captured my imagination and heart and is one that I know I will be returning to again and again. An absolutely magical, unmissable and snugglesome story for adventurers of 8 to 80+.

Saving Neverland is a brilliant retelling packed full of adventure and imagination.

Ever since the Terrible Day, Martha Pennydrop has been determined to grow up. That means no more cuddly toys, no more jumping on beds and definitely no more adventures. When Peter Pan arrives at her window one night to take her and her little brother, Scruff, to Neverland, Martha has no interest in getting sucked in by quests and curses. But Neverland needs Martha, and so does Scruff. Can two brave mainlanders face down frostbears, icesharks and ghost pirates and break Hook's curse before Neverland is lost forever? And can Martha learn that you can grow in more directions than 'up' and that you should never say no to adventure, no matter how old you get.

At the heart of Saving Neverland is a really special sibling relationship filled with love and fun. Martha and Scruff were brilliant heroes you'll root for from page one and their desire to get back to each other is the driving force of much of the action.

With her gymnastics skills and quick thinking, Martha is a perfect protagonist for this retelling, showing that girls can be every bit as adventurous as boys. Her interactions with Peter are brilliant, and she forms bonds with each of the Lost Children, who each had their own brilliant personalities.

Saving Neverland celebrates growing up (or down, or sideways) at the pace that's right for you. It's a reassuring novel about change and childhood, celebrating the importance of play and fun, and is perfect for its target age range.

I love Abi Elphinstone's novels, and in Saving Neverland she brings her trademark imagination and endless creativity to Neverland, with magical worldbuilding and an inexhaustible host of surprises. From riddles that open doors to magical mermaid songs, it's impossible to guess where the magic of Neverland will take children next, making this an exciting and faced-paced adventure. I can't wait to start it all over again with my children.

I was provided with an advanced copy for review via NetGalley.

I haven't read any Abi Alphinstone books before but I need to fix that now! My head teacher loves her books and we have several at school. I also haven't read Peter Pan for a very long time!
In this we meet Martha and Scruff Pennydrop, a girl and her younger brother. They have moved to 14 Darlington Road, Bloomsbury. Their bedroom has a window that won't close. Their father is distracted by work and has appointed a babysitter, a cat called Fluffington.
Martha is now 10 and we soon realise that this and the "Terrible Day" in the Guzzlehut (their former treehouse in the last house's garden) she says she is a grown-up. And grown-ups don't play games, hug toys (Scruffs Bear is None-the-Wiser), jump on beds, read under the covers or have adventures. They make lists, and at the bottom of every list Martha makes is "Check Scruff's Inhaler is" wherever they are. This gives us an insight into that Terrible Day.
One of her grown up jobs is checking Scruff has cleaned his teeth and brushed his hair before bed - but Scruff says brushing his hair is a waste of time because the fairy keeps coming and making it look a mess! Martha scoffs at this. Scruff is bouncing on the bed pretending to be a succession of different animals when he knocks into the chest of drawers and finds a drawer full of sand, but the sand is gold coloured, a strange wind picks up as they discover the sand.
Then a fairy flies in! Then a boy, Peter Pan! He says that the children have to go with him. Martha is not happy and tries to call Dad, but fairy magic is strong and Dad is fast asleep as is Fluffington. Scruff is very keen to go and have an adventure with Peter and Muddle, the fairy. Especially when Peter explains why they need to help.
As Scruff leaves Martha has no option but to go to to protect her little brother - especially as he didn't take his inhaler!
They find out more about Neverland and what his happening when they arrive, but still Martha is not happy and tries to leave but Scruff goes after her - and is dragged off by a snowtiger! Now Martha has no option but to join Peter and the Lost Kids in trying to free Neverland from the curse washed ashore by Captain Hook's lost hook.
We find that all the children are brave and loyal. Martha's beloved bean bag mammoth, Armageddon,(he's actually locked in the loft at home) makes an appearance to help them as Martha begins to believe in the magic of Neverland. Scruff meanwhile is in an Ice Cave, where he meets the Neverbird, he helps her attempt to dig out a tunnel with the fork (an important part of all adventures which he has in his pocket) and to work out what her language is.
This is a brilliant adventure story. The parallels with the original are there but the children are both girls and boys and there are plenty of magical creatures. Abi herself says she wanted to get rid of the stereotypes of the original book. I think this would go well at school.

Saving Neverland brings the legendary tale of Peter Pan right bang up to date! Ten year old Martha is determined to be a grown up and take care of her little brother, Scruff when they're visited by Peter. He delivers a letter to Martha in which she has been tasked with saving Neverland from the curse of Captain Hook.
Unlike Wendy, Martha has a brains and bravery and we're rooting for her and Scruff from the start. The Lost boys have gone home and now we have a new group of Lost Kids to get to know and of course, the threatening ghost of Hook and his pirates make an appearance!
This is a beautifully written, truly magical book, teeming with adventure, danger and magic. It was a true joy to read and one I would love to read with a class or my own children.. It brings all the wonderful elements of Neverland to life while avoiding all those issues that haven't aged well with this novel.
This tale focuses on the magic of childhood, families and loyalty. It's a brilliant novel bringing Peter and Neverland to a new audience whilst still retaining the heart of Barrie's original novel.
I genuinely loved this book and devoured it in less than 24 hours! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc in return for an honest review.

Abi Elphinstone's books are always a joy to read and a re-telling of the Peter Pan story for a new generation was an intriguing idea.

Martha Pennydrop finds herself in limbo between childhood and adulthood - she feels she has to grow up and look after her younger brother Scuff after their mother's disappearance and her father's continual working. The window to their London home will not shut - waiting for Peter Pan's return. When he appears in their bedroom one night to ask for their help to save Neverland, Martha must make a decision - does she still believe in adventure?

With a host of new characters, this is a different Neverland, one covered in ice and snow and featuring new dangers. Can Martha embrace her childhood once again and help Peter, Muddle the fairy and the Lost Kids to triumph over Captain Hook once more?

This is a glorious re-telling, updated for a modern audience but still showing the magic of adventure.

A wonderful new adventure, in a magical much-loved land.

Martha is trying hard to grow up fast... until Peter Pan recruits her to save a frozen Neverland.

A classic is brought up-to-date without losing its love of childhood, play and imagination.

My grandchildren get very excited over a new Abi Elphinstone book, we have read all the others and this one is just as good as we expected. They are absolutely magical and make great family reading.

I wasn't sure about requesting this initially as I thought it would just be a retelling of the original Peter Pan story. I'm so pleased I ignored these thoughts and requested this as I loved this sequel even more than the original. The Characters of Martha and Scruff are so realistic and very representative of their respective ages.
Saving Neverland will surely charm and delight audiences who are both new to and familiar with the original story and it reminds everyone that we all need to grow down as well as up.
I'll definitely be purchasing a copy for our school library.