Peter Pan: Lost and Found by Susan Hill - OPTIONAL

Hill, Susan.  Peter Pan: Lost and Found, illustrated by Michael Hague (inspired by J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan).  Square Fish (MacMillan's Children Publishing Group), 2012. $15.99.  PICTURE BOOK.  This is a Level 2 book in the My Readers early reader book series.  Peter longed to have someone tell him a bedtime story, but he had no one to do so.  Therefore, Peter told Tinker Bell to follow him, and the two of them flew out of Neverland to find someone to tell him a story.  Peter stopped to listen to Wendy tell a story about Tom Thumb, and while he did that the dog stole Peter's shadow.  Once Peter realized that he didn't have his shadow, he worked to try to get it back.  I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either.  I know on the cover that it says the book was inspired by J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, but I think the book was inspired by the desire to make a buck, and Peter Pan was the character they wanted to use to do so.  Obviously, kids like books where they already know the characters, and for that reason this book has some value to it.  Unfortunately, I feel that the book lacks depth and heart.  Even as I am thinking about this book and typing my review, I keep shrugging my shoulders because it really is a bunch of nothingness--not bad, not good.  If you have $16 lying around then buy this.  But I think there are better Early Readers out there.   Pre-K, EL(K-3) - OPTIONAL.  Brent Smith, Reading Teacher