Crime novelist Ridley Pearson and humor columnist Dave Barry have collaborated to write a prequel to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Entitled Peter and the Starcatchers, the book answers Pearson’s daughter’s question, “But, Dad how did Peter meet Captain Hook in the first place?” From an article in the Miami Herald:

The story takes place on board the ship, Never Land, bound for Rundoon with Peter, four fellow orphans from St. Norbert’s Home for Wayward Boys, and a closely guarded trunk full of ”starstuff,” a magical substance with the power to make people fly or stop aging.
Naturally, the starstuff is stolen, first by a cretin named Slank, then by a nefarious pirate named Black Stache (named for his facial hair), then recovered by some vicious (but quite attractive) mermaids, and finally coveted by island natives who speak their own dialect, in addition to English and French. (Talking dolphins also play a crucial role in the plot. Hey, it’s a fantasy.)
It’s up to Peter to help the secret society called the Starcatchers — led by a comely teen named Molly — get the starstuff back.

Oh, and by the way, September 19 is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. (And thanks to Brandywine Books for the tip on the new book.)