Tom is a patient at Great Ormond Street hospital; Felix is his best friend who continues to visit him even though Tom is grumpy with him; then there's Daisy whose mum is a doctor at the hospital. The trio end up in the garden where magic starts to swirl, creatures from the chapel come to life and the world of Neverland is calling. With the promise of returning to the hospital by the end of the day, all three dive headfirst into an adventure where they meet mermaids and pirates; they're accused of being thieves and then have to clear their names, but to do that involves taking on a terrifying Beekeeper and his army of wax creatures.
Oh goodness, gracious me, where do I begin with this book? It's a glorious new adventure that will whisk you away to a world of magic, hope and heart.

Tom is clearly very ill and is struggling with life in the hospital, being isolated and not fully understanding what is happening. He's even pushing away his best friend Felix. I love that the book gives us Tom's perspective on his illness but also shows us what it's like for Felix who is trying his best to understand what his friend is going through and to support him with this. Then there's Daisy who is desperate to spend time in the hospital in order to become a doctor like her mum, but is actually feeling very lonely. Although they don't know it, the three really need each other and Neverland needs them, which is why a small golden dragon and a bat are woken from the chapel in order to ensure they get there; something of course they can't do without a bit of fairy dust!

Neverland itself is a joy to revisit: whilst there are a host of new characters to get to know, it is also good to have familiarity in some aspects of this magical world (both for adults who are reading it to their children as well as hopefully encouraging a whole new generation of readers to dive into Peter Pan). Readers will delight at the map and the illustrations that are woven through the book thanks to Kristian Kister, and will take huge amounts of joy in getting lost in the pages of this truly wonderful tale.

I could think of nobody better than Katie and Kevin to take on this incredibly special book. To honour the brilliance of the original novel as well as paying tribute to Great Ormond Street hospital takes skill and is something the couple do effortlessly and with real warmth (although I know it will have taken much time as well as many tears and rewrites!). Their style is one that draws you in from the beginning and makes you feel part of every step of the story. It's a book that deserves to be savoured and is absolutely one that can be read and reread - I predict it will become a classic.

I fear that this review is never going to do this book the justice it deserves so I'm just going to end by saying:

Publishing on the 24th September, The Neverland Thieves is a book to pre-order, a book to savour and a book to treasure forever ... and yes, I did hug the book once I'd finished reading it!

🧚 'I believe in Neverland and I believe in me.' 🧚

I have enjoyed multiple of Katherine Webber's previous books, like Captain of Fates and Twin Crowns- I always love her writing! So I was very excited to see that this book was releasing this year! ☺️

I really enjoyed book! It was a fun read, with all the magic and more of the original Peter Pan world. I enjoyed reading it as an adult because of the nostalgia and the fun modernised twists this story had on the original, so I can imagine children would enjoy this even more! 💚

🧚 'Like my granddad, Captain Hook. Although he had his hand cut off by, well, it doesn't matter now. The point is, we don't currently have enough hook hands going around for all of us, so I say, it is a good plan indeed to save Silver Storm's hand!' 🧚

This book had everything, from pirates to mermaids, a fairy, dragon and a bat, taking inspiration from the original story with some fun extras. There were also some more direct references to the original story, like the pirate captain mentioning Captain Hook was her granddad and Daisy being one of the names of one of the children that go to Neverland. I enjoyed the changes made to make the story feel more modern, like the pirate captain being a girl and Daisy wanting to be a doctor. This felt like it would make it more relatable to children nowadays! 🏴‍☠️

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, in return for my honest review! ☺️

My oh my! What a way to return to Neverland! It’s safe to say as someone who grew up on the magic of Peter Pan and all the subsequent media surrounding The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, this book had me before I even read a page. I couldn’t think of anyone better than Katie and Kevin Tsang to take us back to this wondrous island and The Neverland Thieves doesn’t put one little toe out of place in this rich world. In fact, they’ve breathed more spectacular life and depth into it!

I couldn’t write this review without focusing on Tom, Felix and Daisy, all of whom have such brilliant character arcs throughout The Neverland Thieves. Whilst Tom is positioned at the forefront, this really is an ensemble cast and each of their journeys is as strong as the other’s. From Daisy facing her loneliness, Felix coming to terms with Tom’s illness and Tom reconciling his life now battling his illness in the care of the marvellous Great Ormond Street Hospital staff to where they end The Neverland Thieves is exceptional character work from Katie and Kevin Tsang.

I’m sure a point of focus for anyone considering reading The Neverland Thieves is the balance of nostalgia to innovation in this Neverland reunion and I can say Katie and Kevin Tsang have crafted perfection. There are enough nods to the Neverland we know and love without it feeling like an attempt at a retelling or trying to revise what once was. This is a unique, beautiful, enchanting story that stands on its own two feet whilst politely tipping its hat at what came before. BRILLIANCE!

This is a MUST READ for the end of that first month back at school in late September. Not only that, but every purchase raises funds towards continuing the masterful work of the team at Great Ormond Street Hospital charity. Filled with meticulous illustrations from one of my favourites, Kristina Kister, I cannot recommend The Neverland Thieves highly enough. If I haven’t convinced you yet, all I will say is the marvellous Scorch, Squeak and Glimmer Dell are waiting to guide you to Neverland, and you’ll miss out if you’re not there to catch your flight…

Return to Neverland with Katie & Kevin Tsang in this heartfelt adventure full of magic, hope and healing. Celebrating imagination and the wonders of childhood, it reminds us all of the joy of being young and that, really, we should strive to never grow up. In The Neverland Thieves, two new magical creatures, Scorch the dragon and Squeak the bat, come to London for the ones who Neverland needs and who also need Neverland themselves. In this case, it’s Tom, his best friend Felix and their new friend Daisy. Together, they fly with fairies, face pirates on the Jolly Roger, make deals with mermaids and learn how to channel their courage with the Lost Boys and Girls. Full of nostalgic delight, this is a Neverland adventure for a new generation. It’s a perfect family read aloud, setting listeners up for the sweetest of dreams as they follow the second star to the right and fly straight on ’til morning.

Tom is a patient in Great Ormand Street Hospital in London. He hates being ill and can’t wait to go home, but as more treatments are discussed and doctors come and go, that dream seems to be getting further and further away. He feels awkward when his best friend, Felix, comes to visit because they no longer understand each other and don’t know how to share their feelings. Meanwhile, Daisy, the daughter of Tom’s doctor, is lonely as her mum works long hours at the hospital. With dreams of becoming a doctor herself, Daisy is determined to help others.

Faint twinkling music draws them to the hospital garden where Scorch and Squeak introduce themselves. With the help of some fairy dust, the trio find themselves on the way to Neverland. There are reports of items going missing all over Neverland. The Lost Boys and Girls need their help to return the items to their rightful owners and restore order to the island. Along they way, the children learn to deal with a whole host of emotions and how to face life’s challenges with courage and hope.

The Neverland Thieves has been created in support of Great Ormand Street Hospital, just as rights to the original story of Peter Pan were donated to the hospital by author J.M. Barrie. Tom’s story highlights the incredible value of this special place and the people who work there.

Fans of The Land of Roar will love this adventure into a magical world where anything can happen.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s for an early read of this very special book!

Oh how I loved this book. It is so beautifully written and portrays a sense of magic that will transport you to Neverland with the same feelings that you had when you first journeyed there with Peter Pan.
The story revolves around Tom who is sick and a patient in Great Ormond Street Hospital and his best friend Felix and Daisy whose mum is a doctor at the hospital. The three children are magically whisked away to Neverland where they meet a whole host of characters both old and new as they are accused of being thieves and have to clear their names. The adventures that follow are so exciting and crafted so well. I loved the characters of the children and it was a joy to be back with pirates and mermaids. The new magical characters were brought to life beautifully and fit into Neverland perfectly..
This book is perfect for both adults and children, those who wish to return to Neverland and those who are visiting for the first time. This is definitely one to sit proudly on the bookshelf to be picked up again and again.

The authors do an incredible job of balancing pure, whimsical adventure with deeply moving emotional stakes. Tom's illness is handled with immense sensitivity, making the escape to Neverland feel deeply necessary and earned. The updated version of Neverland is absolutely spectacular, featuring imaginative details like cloud blankets and bubble masks alongside iconic favorites like sassy mermaids and the Lost Boys. At its core, the book is a heartwarming celebration of integrity, teamwork, and finding true friendship when you need it most. It is a fast-paced, funny, and profoundly hopeful read that will completely enchant a new generation of dreamers.

Thank you very much for the ARC!

I actually had this on pre-order but had to cancel it so was thrilled to receive an e-arc. It sounded so wonderful that I couldn't wait to jump in and it had a beautiful cover. I hadn't actually heard of either let alone read any of their books so I was going in blind.

I believe this is book one in a planned series so it'll be interesting to see where they go with it.

Never did I think Peter Pan required a sequel. And it's not really a sequel. It's a separate story that happens to be set in Neverland with fairies, pirates, and lost boys, although there are mentions of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, done in a very clever way.

It has a few illustrations which looked very lovely and I think will really help add depth for readers.

It's the epitome of magical. Katie and Kevin have brought the classic tale to life and given it a modern twist, but they haven't lost any of what made the original so fabulous.

It's aimed at readers aged 8 or up, and at 33 I am indeed 8 or up. I thought it might be a bit too young to really give me something to get my teeth into but it really wasn't. It's got a bit of everything and I enjoyed it. The link to Peter Pan made it feel very nostalgic and cosy and safe. I definitely think it'll appeal to readers of all ages and they'll all get something completely different from it.

The description of Neverland was fabulous. Obviously they've got the original to build upon but they haven't merely copied and pasted J.M Barrie's words, but expanded upon them. And it takes the magic of the original and expands it, making it even more magical - I can't think of another word to describe the magic than magical.

I particularly liked the link between Peter Pan and Great Ormond Street Hospital, that was a nice touch. I could see this being a book that lives at the hospital so the children going through difficult times can lose themselves in the pages.

I read it in one sitting as it was just so charming I couldn't tear myself away.

This is gorgeous. It’s so full of the charm and adventure of the original Peter Pan, but there’s so much more. The friendships between the character, the magical creatures you meet, the villains they fight - it’s all just glorious. Katie and Kevin have a gorgeous sense of storytelling and I really loved how this had nods to the original. This is all about being brave when things are hard, standing up for what’s right and how friendship, hope and those who we care about can be the things that change the world. Just gorgeous.