This book on the life of writer J.M. Barrie reads much like a biographical sketch of his life. The reader clearly sees how events in Barrie’s childhood and later in his adult life shaped the character that is Peter Pan, and served as the backdrop for the immortal youth’s outlandish adventures.

Called by his first name "Jamie" in the book, we see Barrie as a young child, who despite sorrow in his family over an older brother’s accidental death, loves to not only read stories, but spend hours in his room crafting his own while waiting for the next issue of his favorite magazine to be published.

The son of a weaver and one of seven children, Barrie’s vivid imagination is nurtured by his mother, who is a gifted storyteller herself.

Readers see that as Barrie matures into a man and even as he grows older, he never seems to lose his child-like spirit and love for stories, theater and adventure.

As an adult, Barrie befriends three young brothers, two of whom he first meets in Kensington Gardens one day while walking his St. Bernard, Porthos, most likely the inspiration for the beloved canine/nanny character Nana in "Peter Pan."

The boys are in the park with their nanny and Barrie makes no qualms about playing with them on their own level. "Soon the boys were playing games with Jamie and his dog, the nanny sternly looking on. Jamie could wiggle his ears, do magic, tell wild stories just as he had as a boy in the upstairs room," the book reads. It’s easy to see that Jamie Barrie is indeed the basis for his most loved character—Peter Pan.

Barrie, who never had children of his own, later ends up adopting the boys after both their parents die tragically within a several-year period.

Despite the interesting story of Barrie’s life, the color illustrations by Steve Adams are what make this book so endearing. The faces of Barrie and other people in the illustrations portray a subtle sense of emotion that helps readers to feel connected to them as human beings.

Another nice touch to this book is the addition of quotes and small insets of illustrated scenes from "Peter Pan" by Adams at the bottom of each page. These serve to more thoroughly link actual events in Barrie’s life to words and scenes from his "Peter Pan."

For example, on the page which describes Barrie on discovering that his first story has been published in the London Gazette, the quote from "Peter Pan" on the same page reads, "I’m youth, I’m joy. I’m a little bird that has broken out of the egg."

This book is for 6- to 8-year-olds, but anyone of any age who has ever felt a glimmer of Peter Pan within themselves would potentially enjoy reading it.

Zen Ghosts
Written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth
Scholastic Press, September 2010, $17.99
Hardcover Picture Book, 40 pages
Appropriate for: All ages

The tale author/illustrator Jon J. Muth tells in this book is based on a Chinese story dating to the 12th century known by many titles, including "Quinno Parted from Her Higher Soul" and "Senjo’s Separated Soul."

The story was first relayed to the author by Zen Master Daido Loori, Roshi. For those who don’t recognize the latter term, "Roshi" is a Zen Buddhist term loosely translated as "elder master" or "older teacher," but holds a meaning that cannot entirely be translated into English.

Muth actually heard the story told by three Zen masters, he reveals in his "Author’s Note" at the end of the book, creating his own story with a contemporary setting from the three versions.

His story is really a story within a story, revolving around some children and their panda friend "Stillwater" at Halloween.

Stillwater arranges to meet his friends on Halloween night under a full moon, to share a special ghost story with them. The story of Senjo is then relayed to his friends by candlelight by a panda that looks mysteriously like Stillwater.

Senjo’s story is one of tragedy and suffering, as she is betrothed to wed a man she doesn’t love because her ill father needs the dowry to take care of his family. She wants to wed her best friend Ochu; the two have been inseparable since they were small children.

Ochu can’t bear the thought of his Senjo marrying another man so he runs far away. Along the way, he finds Senjo and they lead a happy life together until she misses her family and wants to return to their village. On the couple’s return, Ochu learns from Senjo’s father that she has been ill in bed at her family’s home ever since he left years before.

This is a story about transcending the body with one’s soul and heart. It may be confusing to some children, depending on age, and certainly will raise questions that parents won’t be able to answer with cut-and-dry, right-or-wrong explanations.

However, it will certainly do what it is designed to do. It will make readers think about life, themselves, who they are on the outside and on the inside.

The mystery raised will most likely be one that remains with readers of all ages until they can form their own meanings of this profound story that has been retold for many generations. RPM