Summary
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a captivating young adult fantasy novel by Ransom Riggs, first published in 2011. The book creatively blends an eerie narrative with vintage found photographs to tell the story of Jacob, a teenager who discovers a mysterious island orphanage populated by children with unusual abilities. Riggs's debut novel became a New York Times bestseller and spawned several sequels. In 2016, the book was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton, bringing its peculiar world to life on the big screen.
Plot
Sixteen-year-old Jacob Portman grows up listening to his grandfather Abraham's fantastical stories about fighting monsters and living with children with extraordinary abilities at a home on a Welsh island during World War II. After Abraham is killed under mysterious circumstances, Jacob travels to the island to investigate. There he discovers the ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and learns that his grandfather's stories were true—the children had special powers and were protected from monsters by their headmistress, Miss Peregrine, who could manipulate time.
Jacob meets the peculiar children, who still live in 1940, thanks to a time loop created by Miss Peregrine. He learns that he has the rare ability to see the monstrous hollowgasts that hunt peculiars. When Miss Peregrine is kidnapped by wights (evolved hollowgasts in human form), Jacob must embrace his peculiarity and join his new friends on a dangerous mission to rescue her. Along the way, he discovers more about his family's history and his own unique identity as a peculiar.
After defeating the wights and hollowgasts threatening the children, Jacob chooses to stay with his peculiar friends rather than return to his old life. With Miss Peregrine trapped in bird form and their time loop destroyed, Jacob and the children set off on a perilous journey to find help and save their headmistress, armed only with a cryptic prophecy to guide them.
Themes
Coming of age and self-discovery
The power of found family and belonging
Confronting fears and overcoming trauma
The extraordinary hidden within the ordinary
Good versus evil and the nature of monsters
Time, history, and preserving the past
Accepting differences and celebrating uniqueness
Setting
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children unfolds across two distinct time periods and locations. The story begins in contemporary (2010s) Florida, where 16-year-old Jacob Portman lives with his family. Following a tragedy, Jacob travels to the remote Welsh island of Cairnholm to uncover secrets from his grandfather's past.
On Cairnholm, Jacob discovers Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children exists within a time loop, perpetually reliving September 3, 1940. This magical sanctuary protects the peculiar children from danger in the outside world. The imposing orphanage, with its sprawling grounds and crumbling ruins, serves as the primary setting for much of the novel's action and mystery.
As Jacob moves between present-day Cairnholm and the 1940s time loop, the story contrasts the sleepy modern island with its wartime past. The misty bogs, ancient standing stones, and treacherous coastline of Cairnholm provide an atmospheric backdrop that enhances the story's sense of isolation and otherworldliness. This dual setting allows for an intriguing juxtaposition of the mundane and magical as Jacob unravels the secrets of Miss Peregrine and her peculiar charges.
Characters
Jacob Portman: The 16-year-old protagonist who, mourning the death of his beloved grandfather, sets out on a journey and discovers he can see monsters called hollowgasts.
Emma Bloom: A peculiar girl who can create and control fire with her hands. She develops feelings for Jacob.
Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine: The headmistress of the home for peculiar children. She possesses the abilities to shape-shift and manipulate time.
Abraham Portman: Jacob's grandfather, who could also see hollowgasts and once lived at Miss Peregrine's home.
Millard Nullings: An invisible boy who is very knowledgeable about peculiar history.
Bronwyn Bruntley: A peculiar girl with superhuman strength.
Enoch O'Connor: A peculiar boy who can temporarily bring the dead back to life.
Olive Abroholos Elephanta: A young peculiar girl who is lighter than air and must wear lead shoes to stay grounded.
Hugh Apiston: A peculiar boy who has bees living inside him that he can control.
Horace Somnusson: A peculiar boy who has prophetic dreams.
Fiona Frauenfeld: A peculiar girl with the ability to make plants grow rapidly.
Claire Densmore: The youngest peculiar child, who has a second mouth on the back of her head.
Dr. Golan: Jacob's psychiatrist who is revealed to be a wight hunting peculiars.
Quick facts
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children creatively incorporates vintage black-and-white photographs throughout the text, creating an immersive, visual reading experience.
Author Ransom Riggs was inspired by his hobby of collecting vintage photographs. He originally planned to create a picture book showcasing these odd images, but his editor suggested weaving a story around them instead.
Riggs met vintage photograph collector Leonard Lightfoot at a flea market to acquire more photos for the book.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children spent a total of 70 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, reaching #1 in April 2012, after 45 weeks on the list.
A graphic novel adaptation was released in October 2013, illustrated by Cassandra Jean.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was adapted into a live-action film released in 2016, directed by Tim Burton and starring Eva Green as Miss Peregrine and Asa Butterfield as Jacob.
The peculiar children are much older than they appear in the story, as they live in a time loop.
While marketed as young adult fiction, the novel appeals to a wide range of ages.
The book has been translated into more than 40 languages.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is the first book in a series. It's followed by Hollow City and Library of Souls, completing the original trilogy. A second trilogy continues the story with A Map of Days, The Conference of the Birds, and The Desolations of Devil's Acre.
About the Author
Ransom Riggs is an American author best known for his bestselling young adult novels. His unique approach to storytelling combines narrative with vintage photographs, a technique that has become his trademark. His debut novel, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, published in 2011, became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton in 2016. The success of this novel spawned a series, with subsequent books including Hollow City, Library of Souls, A Map of Days, The Conference of the Birds, and The Desolations of Devil's Acre.
Beyond his popular young adult series, Riggs has explored other creative avenues. He authored The Sherlock Holmes Handbook as a tie-in to the 2009 film and published Talking Pictures, a collection of curated vernacular photographs. His work often blends elements of fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction, appealing to readers of all ages with its imaginative storytelling and visual components.
Born in 1979 on a Maryland farm, Riggs grew up in Florida. He studied English literature at Kenyon College and went on to pursue a degree in film at the University of Southern California. He currently resides in Southern California with his wife, fellow bestselling author Tahereh Mafi, and their daughter.
