Shades of Neverland (17 page)

CHAPTER
19

An Awfully Big Adventure

On the night of the funeral, Wendy entered the nursery for the very last time. The day had been long and weary with people coming and going, expressing condolences in hushed tones. Lord Peter Neverland had been much loved and never was this more evident than by the current gathering of his friends and family.

Weeks earlier, Lady Wendy Neverland had made peace with the circumstances that were to bring about her husband’s demise. She and Peter had led a most remarkable life taking them across six continents. Happily, they had grown old together. And at the very end, they were as much in love as ever.

So that evening when she could bear no more weeping, Wendy deftly slipped from the cluster of mourners and into her old nursery.

Awaiting her arrival with notable anticipation were her descendants, her
grands
and great-
grands
. There were twelve of them in all, ranging in age from four to sixteen. Wendy greeted each child fondly. Then she settled herself by the hearth and pulled from her pocket a small chapter book of adventures, of which she was not only the storyteller but also the author.

“Now my darlings, which story shall you hear tonight?”

“Peter Pan and Hook!” cried little Peter.

“With the Indians,” added the twins, John and Michael.

“And Wendy, Grandmama. Don’t forget Wendy,” exclaimed a tow-headed girl referring proudly to her namesake.

To the delight of the children, Lady Neverland opened the well-worn volume and began to read. She hardly had to look at the pages for she knew the story by heart.

Later that night in the stillness of her own room, Lady Neverland took out the black oriental box that was still the keeper of her treasures. She carefully clasped the chain with the acorn button around her neck so that it rested against her breast. Then she paused to cherish each thimble before slipping them, one by one, into the pocket of her nightdress. The last thimble was most remarkable, a hand painted scene of an island surrounded by a turbulent sea, dotted with mermaids and containing a large pirate ship. It had appeared, without explanation, on her windowsill that very morning.

Reverently, she placed it in her pocket with the others. Then Wendy unfastened her hair, letting her white locks fall loose and wild about her shoulders. Crossing deliberately to the window, she opened it and peered into the twinkling midnight sky.

As the clock chimed, Wendy heard in the distance the most happiest of sounds, crowing. Soon she would be beckoned by the loveliest of phrases.
Come Away!

And she was ready to go…

Earlier in the nursery, when the story had been read and the children were satisfied that Captain Hook had gotten his due, Lady Neverland herself had tucked each child into bed. She had tarried with loving care as if performing this duty for the last time.

“Where is Peter now, Grandmama?” Michael asked.

“He has returned to the Neverland to begin his final big adventure.”

“Is Wendy with him?” inquired John.

“Not yet, my darlings, not yet. However, this very night Peter will make a final journey through the starry London sky. He will alight on Wendy’s windowsill, sprinkle her with pixie dust, and together they will fly back to the Neverland where they shall live forever.”

“Happy ever after!” exclaimed little Wendy.

“Yes, my angel. Forever and ever – happily ever after!”

THE END

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If you enjoyed this book, please let others know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This book contains a discussion guide for classrooms and book clubs.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Elaine English and Naomi
Hackenberg
who loved this project enough to want to represent it. To my amazing agent Nicole
Resciniti
for letting it go.

And to my project muse, Mr. J.M. Barrie. Whose voice narrated softly in my ear to guide me on this amazing journey.

Other books by Carey Corp

THE HALO CHRONICLES: THE GUARDIAN

High school sophomore Alex
Grabovski
is cursed with a gift: the ability to see the goodness and evil in her fellow human beings in the form of halos—rings of light or darkness—that surround the body. Her goals in life are to keep moving, find her best friend, and to remain invisible. A new foster family and new school offer her a real chance at a normal life. But in order to stay, she must accept that her gift, The Gift of the Saints, has been bestowed for a purpose and confront the overwhelming darkness she fears.

Then he appears.

Gabriel is a Seraph, a guardian angel sent in the mortal body of a sixteen-year-old boy to protect Alex at the time in her life when she needs it most. Although he is as old as time, Gabriel’s teenage form reacts to Alex in an unexpected, unprecedented way. He falls hopelessly in love with her.

Purchase:
Amazon
         
Barnes & Noble

DOON
 (co-written with Lorie Langdon)

In the first book of the new Doon Novel series, Veronica and her best friend, Mackenna, travel to Scotland for the summer in hopes of finding some peace. But the Scottish countryside holds a host of secrets—including a passageway to a mysterious land that appears to be a living fairy tale. In the land of Doon, the girls could have everything they’ve ever longed for … or end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that could soon become a nightmare.

eBook:
Amazon
         
Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Carey Corp
wrote her first book, a brilliant retelling of Star Wars, at the prodigious age of seven. Since then, her love affair of reinvention has continued to run amuck. She harbors a voracious passion (in no consistent order) for mohawks, Italy, musical theater, chocolate, and Jane Austen. Her debut novel for teens,
The Halo Chronicles: The Guardian
, earned her national recognition as 2010 Golden Heart finalist for best young adult fiction. Coming from BLINK/HarperCollins August 20, 2013:
DOON,
a YA based (loosely) of the concept of the musical
Brigadoon
used with permission from the Alan Jay Lerner Estate & the Frederick Loewe Foundation, and co-written with Lorie Langdon.
Carey
tweets
,
pins
, and “
friends
.” For more information, visit
www.DoonSeries.com
or check out her books on
Goodreads
.

SHADES OF NEVERLAND - Discussion Guide

(Let your inner child guide you as you customize for your unique group)

1.
      
What does the title:
Shades of Neverland
mean to you?

2.
     
 
The book opens with a quote from J.M. Barrie’s original work,
Peter Pan
. How do you feel this set the tone for the book?

3.
     
Different types of romantic love are portrayed through the relationships Peter and Wendy experience, such as: Peter and the Tiger Lily; Wendy and James; Mr. and Mrs. Darling; Maimie and Viscount
Withington
; Peter and Wendy. Which relationship resonated the most with you and why? Which one resonated the least?

4.
     
The author often takes a familiar phrase or concept from Barrie’s original and weaves it into something new, for example the juxtaposition of thimbles and kisses. Can you think of an example in the story to share with the group?

5.
     
What role does the theatre play in the lives of Wendy and Peter? Share with the group a hobby you are passionate about.

6.
     
In the exploration of what it means to grow up, the author often contrasts childhood with adulthood. Which qualities are attributed to childhood? Which qualities are attributed to adulthood?

7.
     
Most of the secondary characters in Peter encounters in the London and New York theatre world and in Hollywood are historical. Choose one of particular interest to you and discuss.

8.
    
The author frequently uses authorial intrusion to speak directly to the reader. Share an example of this. How does this enhance the overall effect of the story?

9.
     
The Neverlands are written as a character of its own. What role do the Neverlands play in this book?

10.
 
Discuss Peter’s and Wendy’s main strengths and weaknesses. How do their weaknesses contribute to their unhappiness?

11.
  
Were there any scenes in
Echoes of Neverland
that made you want to cheer? Cry? Reflect on your own life? What was your favorite scene?

12.
 
Identify a trait from childhood that either Peter or Wendy sacrificed in order to grow up. Do you think that trait would have been beneficial to them in adulthood? Describe one of your best qualities from childhood. Do you still possess that quality? How much of a role does this quality play in your everyday adult life?

13.
 
As Wendy grows up, more and more of her life becomes focused on her obligations. Are those obligations to herself or to others? Give some examples. If you could be free of all obligations, how would your life be different?

14.
 
Through Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie says, “To die will be an awfully big adventure.” What does this mean to you? How does this relate to the final chapter?

15.
  
In the Author’s note, Carey Corp writes, “This is a story about lost selves.” Describe a time that you felt lost or disconnected from the person you used to be.

16.
 
“When you fearlessly follow your inner child with hope, trust and a dash of pixie dust, all things are possible.” What does this mean to you in the context of the story? What does this mean in the context of your own life?

17.
  
What advice would you share with a young person about growing up?