This is the Great Gatsby of children's literature. J. M. Barrie has done for childhood what F. Scott Fitzgerald did for the American Dream. It really is a perfect storm: it captures the whimsy and magic of childhood, it's prose is so beautiful it's basically poetry, and the story and themes have the richness and depth of classic literature. It is a tremendously fun, witty, and exciting novel that could also be studied endlessly. And Barrie's charismatic and charming narration just makes it all the better. I will say though, that the prose is so decorated that the novel can feel a bit dense (especially for a children's novel) and the pacing suffers a bit. You can see the tremendous influence this story has had on both fantasy and children's literature. I have more to read in classic children's lit, but it will be extremely difficult to find a suitable rival for this imaginative masterpiece.