Author: J. M. Barrie (adapted). Edited by Watty Piper. Illustrated by Ruth Wood.
Title: Children’s Hour with Peter Pan.
Publisher: New York, The Platt & Munk Co., Inc., 1922. First Edition Illustrated by Ruth Wood.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6 × 5 inches.
Pages: Unpaginated.
Binding: Attractive and very good original publisher’s bright red textured boards with contrasting orange cloth spine and gilt lettering to upper cover. Full-color pictorial onlay depicting Peter Pan seated among fairies and birds (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light toning - as shown, previous gift inscription dated Dec. 25, 1927 to front flyleaf - as shown).
Illustrations: Wonderfully illustrated throughout with charming full-page color plates and black-and-white line drawings by Ruth Wood, capturing Peter Pan, Wendy, the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell, and Captain Hook in soft, early 20th-century hues. The artwork is vivid and delicately printed, typical of Platt & Munk’s high-quality children’s picture books of the 1920s. Complete.

The book: A beautiful 1922 Platt & Munk edition of Children’s Hour with Peter Pan, part of the publisher’s beloved Children’s Hour series edited by Watty Piper. This charming retelling of J. M. Barrie’s timeless tale introduces young readers to Peter, Wendy, and the Lost Boys in an accessible format enriched by full-color illustrations. The bold red and orange binding, gilt titles, and delightful pictorial cover exemplify the exuberant design aesthetic of 1920s American children’s publishing. A particularly well-preserved copy, complete and bright — an enchanting addition to any vintage children’s library.

The author: James Matthew Barrie (1860–1937), Scottish novelist and playwright, created Peter Pan — the boy who refused to grow up — first appearing in The Little White Bird (1902) and immortalized in his 1904 stage play. The story has since become one of the cornerstones of children’s literature, exploring imagination, innocence, and the bittersweet tension between youth and time. This adaptation distills Barrie’s fantasy into a tender, moralized form suitable for younger audiences of the early 20th century.

The illustrator: Ruth Wood, an early 20th-century illustrator known for her delicate color work and soft pencil lines, brought Peter Pan’s world to life for a generation of American readers. Her luminous depictions of fairies, woodland scenes, and childhood wonder mirror the gentleness found in other Platt & Munk favorites such as The Night Before Christmas and Mother Goose Rhymes. The color palette — pastel yet lively — contributes to the enduring charm of this vintage edition.