Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit continues to delight parents and children after 100 years
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 25, 2002 9:00 p.m.
Courtesy of Pryor & Associates Beatrix Potter, creator of
Peter Rabbit and friends, is commemorated in a centennial
celebration of her work and achievements.
By Kelsey McConnell
Daily Bruin Contributor
Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter may be the oldest baby
bunnies in the business as their creator’s work celebrates a
century of publication.
Beatrix Potter filled her child-sized books with tales of sweet
and mischievous animals, creating a niche in children’s
literature that has made her well-loved by readers of all ages.
“The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” perhaps the best known of
her stories, has been entertaining audiences now for 100 years.
This anniversary has spawned a series of Potter-related events,
including a live reading and the sale of her work during the L.A.
Times Festival of Books at UCLA this weekend.
“There’s certainly a strong love for Potter since
parents grew up with (Peter Rabbit) and even ate on china that
featured him,” said Catherine Frank, an assistant editor for
Frederick Warne, the imprint that publishes “Peter
Rabbit.”
“(Peter) is a really memorable character, with his little
blue jacket,” Frank added. “He’s mischievous, but
at the end of the day, the story is very reassuring in that his mom
tucks him into bed.”
Potter’s pet rabbit, Peter, lived in her London home from
1892 to 1901. Potter’s lonely childhood left her plenty of
time to study and sketch her pets and the Peter Rabbit legacy began
in 1893 when Potter included tales and pictures of her rabbit in a
letter to her former governess’ young son.
Potter transformed this letter into a book and, in 1902, an
established London publisher picked up the little volume. And so,
the Peter Rabbit stories were born to the public and were soon
followed by 22 other tales of Peter’s animal friends.
Aside from these books, Potter is known for her Hill Top Farm in
Britain’s Lake District, a model for land conservation. Now,
approximately 75,000 visitors visit Hill Top Farm to pay their
respects to Peter, his friends and the woman who made them
famous.
But American fans can now pay their respects without leaving the
states. Penguin Putnam, current publisher of the books, has
declared 2002 “The Year of Peter Rabbit.” Events
include an exhibition at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
The exhibit, “Peter Rabbit’s Garden,” is a
multi-media showcase on the life and work of Beatrix Potter.
The exhibit, which closes at the end of May, endeavors to
celebrate the many facets of Potter: artist, author, scientist and
environmentalist.
The West Coast gets its share of Potter-mania at the Festival of
Books, held at UCLA, that will house a Penguin Putnam booth selling
Potter’s work. On Sunday, April 28, at noon, the
children’s storytelling stage will feature a live reading of
“Peter Rabbit” by actress Melissa Joan Hart.
Additionally, Wal-Mart will be introducing a new line of Peter
Rabbit infant products such as bedding and baby gift ensembles.
And on Sept. 9, Penguin will release previously unpublished
artwork by Potter and rerelease previous books with digitally
restored drawings.
But why all the fuss over a few simple stories?
Potter’s creations are viewed as more than tales, but as a
contribution to children’s literature. Children’s book
author and Loyola University professor of children’s
literature Gloria Pushker espouses the value of children’s
books in skill development.
“Children’s literature is important because it
causes children to think on their level and learn how to interact
with other people because of the things they read about,”
Pushker said.
“Potter’s books remain classics because parents love
to read them,” Pushker added. “In children’s
literature, parents have to like the book first.”
Andrew Leet, a fifth-grade teacher at Lassen Elementary School
in North Hills, mentions the importance of Potter’s messages
through her stories.
“Children learn from Beatrix Potter the lessons that
adults should,” Leet said. “The morals go beyond second
grade.”
As made apparent by this celebration, Peter Rabbit has served as
a staple to the of childhoods of many.
“I read (the tales) so many times, but it was always fun
to read them again,” said Laurel Ziegler, a third-year
history student. “I look back on them fondly as memories of
my childhood.”
A hundred years after Potter’s illustrations first came to
life, The Year of Peter Rabbit shows that Peter and his friends
continue to enjoy acclaim as institutions of childhood fantasy.
