Product Description

This 4.13 x 5.51 inch hardcover book is one of the most beloved children's stories of all time! Author: Beatrix PotterIllustrator: Beatrix Potter Publisher: Penguin Putnam

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21868 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 70 pages

Amazon.com Review
The quintessential cautionary tale, Peter Rabbit warns naughty children about the grave consequences of misbehaving. When Mrs. Rabbit beseeches her four furry children not to go into Mr. McGregor's garden, the impish Peter naturally takes this as an open invitation to create mischief. He quickly gets in over his head, when he is spotted by farmer McGregor himself. Any child with a spark of sass will find Peter's adventures remarkably familiar. And they'll see in Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail that bane of their existence: the "good" sibling who always does the right thing. One earns bread and milk and blackberries for supper, while the obstinate folly of the other warrants medicine and an early bedtime.

Beatrix Potter's animal stories have been a joy to generations of young readers. Her warm, playful illustrations in soft colors invite children into the world of words and flights of fancy. Once there, she gently and humorously guides readers along the path of righteousness, leaving just enough room for children to wonder if that incorrigible Peter will be back in McGregor's garden tomorrow. (Ages Baby to Preschool)

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Over the years, Hague has re-illustrated many texts that were in the public domain. A number of his books have given new life to overlooked work and have been widely appreciated. His reinterpretation of the work of Potter, however, is egregiously unnecessary. Potter wanted her books to be small enough for little hands to hold. Hague's book is almost twice as large. Potter's book has softly colored spot illustrations, honing in beautifully on the drama or emotions of the facing pages of text. Hague's art is overblown with extraneous details that threaten to overwhelm the plot. His rabbits with enormous eyes are reminiscent of those kitschy, large-eyed waifs popularized by the Keans in the 1960s. If Potter's books were out of print, or in danger of becoming so, one might be more receptive to Hague's version, but they are readily available and hard, if not impossible, to improve upon. Why try?-Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 3-6. As he has done before, Hague lends his own style to a classic title in the canon of children's literature. Enlarging the original size of Potter's book and decreasing the length to standard picture-book size, he brings the famous story to a new audience. The flow of text and turn of the page has been changed substantially, but Peter is larger in these pictures, and the colors of his world much brighter. Hague adds details that don't appear in Potter's illustrations--a bright red door on the tree house, the inside of the baker's shop, the "large pea" in the old mouse's mouth. There's also more of Mr. McGregor's garden, his house, and the wood beyond. There are fewer illustrations in Hague's version, but his double-page spreads flesh out Potter's world (as the video adaptations of her stories do, as well). This format is certainly better suited to storytimes, and the text, with one exception, is faithful to the original: the white cat is now black, and the word white has been deleted. Kathy Broderick
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

A Classic Tail...er, Tale
THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT, by Beatrix Potter, has enchanted both children and adults for generations. An exciting adventure book for the wee ones, THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT is the story of Peter, who is very naughty. Peter disobeys his mother, and goes to Mr. McGregor's garden, where he gets into all manner of trouble. While Peter does eventually make it home, he is wet, sick, and has lost his clothes (his second set of clothes in a fortnight!), and his mother gives him chamomile tea for supper. His sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who are good little bunnies, get bread and milk and blackberries for supper.

THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT gently teaches children to mind their mothers - good little children are given rewards, naughty children get into trouble. This simple tale engages and captivates youngsters who can easily relate to Peter's mischievousness. And while that lesson and Ms. Potter's story are both timeless, it is Ms. Potter's charming illustrations that are the true star of this book. Peter is drawn to look like a real rabbit; a rabbit that wears a very dapper jacket and a little pair of shoes. The soft colors and rich detail of the original drawings continue to delight children throughout the ages.

My three year old adores hearing this story. Whenever we read it together, she loves to shout "Stop thief!" with Mr. McGregor and to sneeze "Kertyschoo!" with Peter. She clearly gets great fun and joy out of this classic tale, as do I. All of Beatrix Potter's tales are delightful to share; however, THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT holds a special place in our hearts.

One of the greatest children's books ever
This is probably one of the best children's books ever written! It's a charming story full of plenty of peril and surprising personality for a rabbit and the artwork is stunning. Instead of being truly innocent and plottless, Miss Potter plays on the fears and actuality of being a child--children get into trouble. Beautiful edition.

True to the classic
This is the original Potter story. I prefer this illustrator to all that I have seen try to update the classic. I used this with Kindergartens to teach story grammar. It is still a winner with little kids to this day.