THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT

Potter, Beatrix.  The Tale of Peter Rabbit.  New York:  Puffin, 1991.  ISBN 0-88103-960-8.


Plot Summary

His mother warned, "'You may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden'...But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden."  So begins the adventure of Peter Rabbit.  Old Mrs. Rabbit tried her best to steer her four young bunnies away from danger.  However, for Peter, the urge for adventure and intrigue was too much to resist:  not to mention the lettuces, French beans, radishes, and the much sought-after pinch of parsley to settle his stomach as well!  Nearly following in the fatal footsteps of his father, time after time Peter is mere centimeters away from becoming the filling for one of Mrs. McGregor's pies; however, he manages to escape with not even the clothes on his back!  How did he make his great escape?  What happened to him when he raced back home under the roots of the big fir tree?  Pick up a copy of this classic children's book at your local library and find out for yourself!


Critical Analysis

Beatrix Potter is an author whose work transcends time.  She first self-published The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1901.  Children over 100 years later still enjoy the antics of her mischievous bunny.  Her writing and word choice flows out of the book and into the hearts of the young and old alike.  In fact, The Tale of Peter Rabbit  is one of the top-selling children's books of all time.  Comparable to Aesop, Potter's classic tale warns children about the danger of disregarding their parent's instruction.  And, although being naughty may be fun for a short time, in the end their will be a steep price to pay.

Potter's watercolor illustrations are a bit subdued in color, but not lacking in action.  The reader sees just how fast Peter is running through the use of lines showing his whiskers slicing through the wind as Mr. McGregor chases him with the rake held high into the air.  The utter hopelessness of Peter is quite apparent as he hangs helplessly upside down in the gooseberry net.  The water flies off the page as Peter lunges into the sloshing water-can to hide from his pursuer.  The illustration of the lifeless-looking Peter tells the reader all they need to know about just how close Peter came to meeting his deadly demise.  Potter's illustrations of the secondary animals in the book add a realistic backdrop to Peter's journey through the garden and back home again.  Potter's interest in drawing nature is evident in her renditions of the various animals and plant life throughout the book.  Others have tried to reinvent Potter's illustrations in later editions of this classic book, but none have captured the essence of The Tale of Peter Rabbit as Potter did herself.


Children's Reviews from Common Sense Media

"This book as absolutely nothing bad in it, and is a wonderful classic for all ages!
(P.S. If you are reading a parental review for Peter Rabbit, you need to lighten up!)" -- age 12

"A nice book though there a little violence in it.
Otherwise, a perfect, classic book to read before going to bed at night." -- age 10

"I love it" -- age 1


Other Books by Beatrix Potter

The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes

Visit the website:  http://www.peterrabbit.com/en


Book Connections

Brown Rabbit in the City by Natalie Russell
Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth by Kate Klise; Ill. by M. Sarah Klise
The Bunny Lover's Complete Guide to House Rabbits by Rani Vaughn
Rabbits by Jinny Johnson


Connection Activities

• Have children create their own short story about what happens when we don't obey our parents.
• Read the beginning pages of the book.  Give children the opportunity to finish the story.  Award brass buttons for the most creative, the closest to the actual story, the most dramatic, etc.