Tomorrow is Beatrix Potter's birthday, so I will write about her today rather than do two birthdays tomorrow. Jemima Puddle-Duck and Samuel Whiskers are celebrating their 100th birthdays this year, and while I hear many adults say Beatrix Potter's books are old-fashioned, many of the children I spend time with still love them, and work their way through the whole stand of books. They like the size of the books and how they fit in their hands. They like that they fit in their blazer pocket. They borrow the toys, especially Jemima, and when Year 2 look at what life was like for seven year olds in the past and their teacher immerses them in the books and Beatrix Potter's life, there is always a resurgence of interest, by children and parents. The films and Youtube versions of her tales also mean that they are accessible to all.
While there has been plenty of attempts to modernise and/or reimage Beatrix Potter's stories, it is still the original words and artwork that work the best and it is still naughty Peter Rabbit who epitomises her love of nature, natural wildlife and the English countryside. If you are looking for information books about Beatrix Potter that are suitable for young children and which provide information in 'bite-sized' amounts Beatrix Potter: A Journal and The Story of Beatrix Potter: A Junior Biography are a good choice. The cover pictures above are not indicative of the size of the books.
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