Now, why doesn't Peter Rabbit age? I'm not being literal here, people, so please don't inundate me with explanations that patiently explain that fictional characters in books cannot get old. I won't hear a word of it. Reading "Peter Rabbit" today is just as fresh and new an experience as it was one hundred years ago. Author Beatrix Potter created the story of Peter Rabbit for a young boy with whom she was acquainted. Using the novel idea of drawing animals as they appeared in nature, just in funny clothes and talking, her books are remarkable because she had a dual talent for both illustration and clever narrative. Now after all these years I opened up "Peter Rabbit" to see why I loved it as much as I did as a kid. And the fact of the matter is, it hasn't aged a smidgen. A remarkable and astounding feat for a story originally published in 1903.

Peter lives, as many of us know, in a large fir tree with his mother and his siblings Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. His father was baked in a pie (a fact that many parents have decried as too dark for children, and that many children have shrugged at without a second thought). Though instructed by his mother NOT to go digging in Mr. McGregor's garden, he's a naughty little thing. His tasty trip is brought up short, however, when he stumbles across the farmer himself. In the course of their chase Peter loses his little blue jacket with the shiny brass buttons and must return to his mother (after a series of close shaves) without it or his shoes. He is promptly put to bed with a cup of camomile tea (a fate we non-camomile tea drinkers must assume is harsh) while his siblings eat the tasty blackberries they picked that morning.

Beatrix Potter claimed that though she was adept at illustrating animals, she had the darndest time (my words, not hers) drawing people. You will note, therefore, that Mr. McGregor is a bit of a featureless wag. The story was remarkable in that it was the first time (I believe) that animals drawn in a picture book actually looked like real animals. Peter is exactly the kind of bunny you'd expect to catch in your yard, except that he's occasionally wearing jaunty spring wear. The similarities in this tale to that of the Brer Rabbit tales of the American South is interesting but due to the fact that Potter was writing this story in 1903 Britain, she probably didn't steal the plot. The book is a classic in the purest sense, of course. If you can get a copy that is small (intended from the start to be the size that little hands could open easily) do. It's a beautiful tale that is as fresh and green today as it was when written long long ago. A classic.

27 of 27 found the following review helpful:

A Good Book for Young Toddlers  Aug 06, 2000
By Occasional Reviewer
I purchased this book for our daughter when she was about 6 months old but she wasn't at all interested in it, unlike 95% of our other purchases. Then at about 12 months she picked it out for me to read it to her, and it has increasingly become a favorite. I think the reason she didn't like it earlier on was, ironically, the same reason I readily purchased it - the beautiful watercolor illustrations. While they are very beautiful, they are somewhat muted resulting in a look that blurs all of the detail together. Of course, this is just a guess. At any rate, she now very much enjoys this book, and anticipates the action, such as Peter sneezing, or the "scr-r-ritch, scratch" of a hoe. Board books with a storyline are somewhat more difficult to find than the counting, color, alphabet, opposites, etc. kind, and my daughter has always definitely enjoyed stories. Additionally, this book teaches us there are repercussions for our actions, but in a tone that is mild and appropriate for young toddlers. If this is what you're looking for, and you're not looking for storybooks for a younger baby, this would be an excellent choice.

16 of 16 found the following review helpful:

Classic tale in Warne and Co's original edition is sized right for little hands  Jun 27, 2005
By A Reader
For those with very young children who love to read, the Penguin Books series of the original and authorized edition of Beatrix Potter's classic tales are as appropriate as they can be. My 3 year old prefers books sized perfectly for his small hands, and the fact that each tale is here reproduced one book at a time (as opposed to treasuries and collections in one tome) makes it all the more appealing to him.

Beatrix Potter doesn't shy away from more difficult words to tell her story, respecting the ability of children to absorb all kinds of material at an early age. The illustrations in the Frederick Warne and Company Original Edition are just right in detail and tone, neither overwhelming nor detracting from the text.

The story of a naughty young rabbit who decides to disobey his mother by trespassing into Mr. McGregor's garden is told with a sensitivity to the reality of the lives of animals that is rare in today's children's books. It doesn't go out of its way to recite platitudes, contenting itself to simply telling the story of what happens when young Peter finds himself lost in the farmer's garden, in grave danger of turning into rabbit pie like his father before him, and with nothing but his wits to save him. It's a great story about the consequences of disobedience and the importance of courage, that is, not giving up however dire the situation may be. It makes for great discussions during and after readings, and the straightforward events that resonate in the physical world of children makes a wonderful springboard for encouraging tots to retell the story in their own words.

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Peter Rabbit  Nov 01, 2007
By M. Rosenzweig
This is a nice version of this classic. I had not read this story before and enjoyed sharing the tale of this naughty rabbit with my three year old daughter. I have found books such as this which have widthstood the test of time some of the best reading for children and adults alike.

11 of 13 found the following review helpful:

Not formatted for Kindle 3.  Dec 30, 2010
By Martin Gaston
Ironically, the Kindle version of this book is not properly formatted for Amazon's flagship product. There are blank pages, and the images precede their respective text, requiring one to page back repeatedly to show the children the pictures. It's a shame this shoddiness rides on the coattails of the printed classic's ratings. Off to archives it goes...

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