The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Infobox Book |
name = The Tale of Peter Rabbit
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Beatrix Potter
illustrator = Beatrix Potter
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Children's novel
publisher = Frederick Warne & Co
release_date = 1902
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages =
isbn = NA
oclc = 12533701
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" is the first in the series of children's books written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, and is perhaps her best-known work. The book was written for private amusement, but publication was urged by Potter's friends.

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. [cite web | title=United Media Licensing - PETER RABBIT | url=http://www.unitedmedialicensing.com/b2b/html/peter_rabbit.html | work=United Media Licensing | accessdate=2006-06-23 ] [cite web | title=Peter Rabbit | work=The Copyrights Portfolio | url=http://www.copyrights.co.uk/en/1/porprb.html | accessdate=2000-06-23 ]

ynopsis

Peter Rabbit and his three sisters (Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail) live with their mother under the roots of a large fir tree. Peter, who is an adventurous young bunny, invades the garden of Mr. McGregor, despite his mother's orders not to do so, as his father had met with an unfortunate accident there and was made into a pie. After Peter has helped himself to some of the garden's vegetables and wanders about to find some parsley to settle his full belly, he is chased by the angry farmer. As he runs, he loses his shoes among the vegetables, and then gets caught up in the netting that protects a group of gooseberry bushes. Peter escapes just in time after a group of helpful birds encourage him to try to loose himself one more time. He loses his jacket as he wiggles free just before Mr. McGregor can trap him with a sieve. He then ducks into a gardening shed and hides in a watering can, but gives himself away when he can't help but sneeze. After three more close calls (avoiding a cat and eluding Mr. McGregor twice), he finally makes it safely out of the garden and returns home, to collapse on the floor. Mr. McGregor makes a scarecrow of the clothing Peter leaves behind. Peter's sisters enjoy a bread and blackberry dinner, but Peter finds he is still not feeling well (after having eaten too much and then spending time in the wet watering can) and is sent to bed by his mother with only a drop of chamomile tea.

History and Sources

The story began as a letter to the young son of Beatrix Potter's former governess. The boy was ill, and Potter wrote him a story to help him pass the time and to cheer him up. The letter included sketches illustrating the narrative.

"Peter Rabbit" was the name of a pet of Potter's when she was young.

The character of Mr. McGregor is thought to be based on a local resident of the village of Dalguise in Perthshire, where Potter holidayed as a child.

References in other Media

In the musical "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown", the song "Book Report" is about the characters' frustrations in writing a 100-word book report about Peter Rabbit.

Footnotes

External links

*gutenberg|no=14304|name=The Tale of Peter Rabbit
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12702 Audio Book] The Tale of Peter Rabbit at Project Gutenberg
* [http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/peterrabbit/pageflip.html Digital Book] The Tale of Peter Rabbit at [http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/dls/ Digital Library Services Department] of the [http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/ Special Collections Department] of the The University of Iowa Libraries.