For as long as she could remember, Peggy Kennedy bore witness to her mother’s mental illness. While growing up in the 1960s, Peggy’s mother, Barbara, often liked to play games of make-believe and tell the children they were all going to Neverland—just like Peter Pan. But while the children knew it was all pretend, Barbara believed it to be all too true.Approaching Neverland recounts Peggy and her family’s attempts to deal with their mother’s mental illness during a time when it was little understood and even feared. With brutal honesty and surprising humor, Peggy shares the turbulence of growing up under the shadow of Barbara’s illness, of being shuffled from one family member to the next, and of visiting her mother in the mental institution. As the years pass, the shadows of Barbara’s challenges become a loving legacy in Peggy’s quest to achieve happiness and fulfillment in her life.
A vivid, haunting portrayal of one woman’s struggle to understand how the past fits in with her future, Approaching Neverland is as inspiring as it is beautifully written and will stay with you long after the last page is turned.