Peter and Wendy - J.M. Barrie

Not at all what I expected. Violent, bloody and full of tension. There's also an unexplainedness in both the story and writing style that I wouldn't expect in a children's book (especially not one that took over the world and got made into a Disney film). It's like it hints at a hidden world of meaning, a kind of semiotic Neverland, in the way the characters interact and the bizarre comments the narrator makes on them. It was never a big part of my childhood, so I'm glad I got to read it now. It's fascinating as well as fun.