The Little White Bird (1902) is a novel by J. M. Barrie. Inspired by
his friendship with George Llewelyn Davies, the grandson of writer
George du Maurier, Barrie penned this heartwarming tale of imagination
and adventure featuring for the first time his beloved character Peter
Pan. Broken into short episodes, The Little White Bird follows Captain
W., a childless veteran, on his visits to David and his family in
Kensington Gardens. Through their friendship, David receives an
education in wonder, while the Captain learns what it could feel like to
be a father. Set in Victorian London, the novel follows Captain W. on
his long walks through the city. With no family of his own, he finds
comfort in friendship with David, the son of a local governess.
Enchanted by the Captain's vibrant imagination, David loves most of all
his tales of Peter Pan, a magical boy who never grows old, who lives
with fairies and never says no to adventure. One night, the story goes,
a young girl is locked out of her house in Kensington Gardens past dark.
Scared and cold, she finds safety with Peter and the fairies, who have
gathered to celebrate life with a magnificent ball. Written for children
and adults alike, The Little White Bird was the book that started it
all, launching Barrie's career as a popular storyteller whose tales of
the present day are filled with the wit and wonder of history's greatest
fairytales. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset
manuscript, this edition of J. M. Barrie's The Little White Bird is a
classic work of Scottish literature reimagined for modern readers.
