Ever Wanted To Know How Peter Rabbit Was Brought About?

This is a review for the novel "Miss Potter" by Richard Maltby Jr.
The book is now a major motion picture. I have seen the movie and read the novel and both are quite good!

I was brought up on the wondrous tales of Miss Potter and was delighted to be able to read at least a little about her life. Some of it is kind of sad though, in my opinion.

According to this book she was 36 years old before she had her first book publicly published. She had previously had a private printing done. She used to make up the stories and little drawings in letters to children of family friends. We get to watch Beatrix go through her wonderment and joy of her world opening up as she gets her books published and makes her first true friend as well as the heartache she endures.

As I said this book is a "novel" and according to the back of the book the author expanded the plotline of the script, blending historical fact with imaginative interpretation to tell the story.

It tells the story of Miss Potter from when she first meets with F. Warne and Co. to see if they are interested in publishing her small children’s books.

They tell her they would be delighted to do so but in all actuality only take on the project to give their much younger brother who just joined in the family firm "her little bunny book" to keep him occupied.

Obviously not a story they thought would have any success but as all Miss Potter fans know, not only did the "bunny book" have remarkable success but is still a beloved children’s book today.

I was truly fascinated by the way that Beatrix Potter was portrayed as talking to her drawings and subsequent stuffed animals, made to look like her drawings, as if they were real people and truly her beloved friends. She would see them come to life and was very invested in all of them.

Knowing that part of the book was true and part fiction makes me want to read an autobiography of her real life and know which bits were true. She seems to have been a fascinating woman.

Overall this novel is quite entertaining and a lovely read.

Look for my upcoming reviews! New one next week or sooner :o)

Happy late Saturday night!
Jenny