An unusually large, attractive, unabridged edition with dozens of full-page illustrations and smaller vignettes. In style, Gustafson's lusty oil paintings of the pirates are akin to N. C. Wyeth's, though they have more the flavor of compelling dramatic play than real menace. His slim, round-faced, rosy children and cozy interiors are closer to Wyeth's gifted student, Jessie Wilcox Smith, while the ethereal yet mischievous fairy folk recall Rackham. This is not to suggest that the result is merely derivative, in the manner of Michael Hague; Gustafson is a talented craftsman who skillfully melds his references to past greats to create an appropriately traditional style that has enough of a contemporary aura (especially in the characterizations) for broad popular appeal. An endpaper map of ``The Neverland'' and meticulous renditions of intriguing details add to the drama and fun. A perfect gift for a family that reads aloud. (Fiction. 5+)
