Current Obsession: Beatrix Potter
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Beatrix Potter is an author and artist that holds a special place in my heart and childhood. So, she is not new to me, but I have recently been rereading her stories with kids I tutor, and enjoying her work and the animated stories (see below) for myself. I think her books are a delight for all year round, but particularly for springtime, and so I want to take this opportunity to share my love for her work with anyone who is not familiar with her work!
Potter was the English author who wrote and illustrated the classic picture book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, among many other classic stories in the early 1900’s. She did beautiful watercolor illustrations to pair with her charming animal tales.
Her character of Peter Rabbit was first dreamed up in a letter she wrote to the sick child of her former governess in order to cheer him up. Potter loved the natural world and this love shines through in her art and writing.
I highly recommend picking up Beatrix Potter’s animal tales for any children in your life; They are a delight for children and adults alike.
Left: Illustration by Beatrix Potter from her book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit
In addition to Potter’s original work, I can’t neglect to mention the original animated versions of her stories, “The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends,” which is a collection of episodes where Potter’s artwork and stories were animated and brought to life into wholesome video versions of the stories and I highly recommend them for children. The intro to the episodes (depicting Potter writing letters with stories for children) is absolutely charming. To be clear, this show is different than the more recent “Peter Rabbit” animated cartoon found on Nickelodeon. The World of Peter Rabbit And Friends is essentially just taking the stories Potter wrote and her art and animating it. In my opinion this older animation is much more charming and true to the original stories and art compared to the newer cartoons.
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I also really love the movie “Miss Potter,” which depicts the story of the author’s life. I always recommend doing your due diligence first and checking out the movie (my family has often used Common Sense Media) before watching with your children, and realize this movie is aimed more at adults than children. I personally love the movie and would recommend it especially to adults and older kids.
Shop the Recommended Media:
Browse Beatrix Potter books (lovely sets, treasury books, or individual editions of her books) HERE
“The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends” (very sweet animated versions of Potter’s stories)
Here is the DVD set I have and grew up watching: DVD for Vol 1
Here is a DVD set that appears to include all the animated version’s of Potter’s stories: https://amzn.to/3L9Cdue
You can also find some clips and episodes from the animated show on Youtube which is helpful (especially if you want to get a preview before purchasing DVDs), however I encourage caution as Youtube is a less controlled environment.
“Miss Potter” movie: Buy a DVD or Watch on Prime Video