The Tale of Peter Rabbit

A young rabbit disobeys his mother and ventures into a forbidden garden, facing various obstacles and dangers along the way.

5.3/7 Bookroo experts·4.2/5 Goodreads · 262,346 ratings

72 pages· 936 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud

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Bookroo's summary

Peter Rabbit, a curious and daring young rabbit, ventures into Mr. McGregor's garden against his mother's warnings. As he navigates the lush, tempting vegetables, Peter must outwit the grumpy gardener to escape. Will his mischief lead to disaster, or can he find his way back home safely? Discover the timeless adventure that has captivated generations with its charm and whimsy.

From the publisher

This original, authorised version has been lovingly recreated electronically for the first time, with reproductions of Potter’s unmistakeable artwork optimised for use on colour devices such as the iPad. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published by Frederick Warne in 1902 and endures as Beatrix Potter’s most popular and well-loved tale. Re-originated in 2002 to mark the centenary of publication bringing it closer to the original edition, six illustrations were restored, four that were removed in 1903 to make room for endpapers and two that have never been used before, Beatrix having initially prepared more illustrations than could be accommodated in the original format.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 72
Words: 936
Reading age: 3–7
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD660L

Themes & topics

Books about bunnies and rabbits Books about Peter Rabbit Books about animals Books about classic tales Books about rabbits

Inside the book

A peek between the covers

Good to know

Stories behind the story

When was The Tale Of Peter Rabbit first published?

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit was self published in 1901 and commercially published in 1902.

Did Beatrix Potter comment on the success of The Tale Of Peter Rabbit?

In November of 1903, the book was in it's sixth printing (of 56,500 copies), and Potter said, "The public must be fond of rabbits! What an appalling quantity of Peter.”

How did you get the idea for The Tale of Peter Rabbit?

Beyond the fact that Beatrix had her own pet rabbits, named Benjamin Bouncer and Peter Piper, she first started writing the story in a letter to her friend's 5 year-old boy, Noel Moore, who was sick: “I don't know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter.”

How many different languages has The Tale Of Peter Rabbit been published in?

When did Peter Rabbit merchandising begin?

In 1903, Beatrix Potter sewed a doll for publisher Frederick Warne's (and Beatrix's fiancé) niece. Beatrix wrote, "I am cutting out calico patterns of Peter, I have not got it right yet, but the expression is going to be lovely; especially the whiskers—(pulled out of a brush!)" Beatrix patented the doll, which was the oldest licensed character. This started the further merchandising of Peter Rabbit items.

Why was The Tale Of Peter Rabbit written?

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit was written for five-year-old Noel Moore, son of Potter's former governess Annie Carter Moore, in 1893.

How many copies of The Tale Of Peter Rabbit have been sold?

Each year, over 2 million copies are sold around the world, with a total of 45 million copies sold. The first 250 copies Potter made were sold out in a few months.

Is The Tale Of Peter Rabbit a best seller?

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit is one of the best-selling children's books of all time.

Why was the book self-published first?

Beatrix Potter wanted the book to be small enough for children’s hands, and inexpensive enough for them to buy. The publishers wanted to make the book bigger, and in turn, more expensive, but Beatrix refused and self-published instead. When Beatrix was ready to send the book to a publisher, her family friend, Canon Rawnsley, re-wrote her story into a poem to help it get published. Rawnsley submitted the poetic version to Frederick Warne & Co., but they only agreed to publish the book using Beatrix’s simpler language.

Is Peter Rabbit in any other stories by Beatrix Potter?

Peter Rabbit appears in other books by Potter, such as The Tale(s) of: Benjamin Bunny, The Flopsy Bunnies, Mr. Tod; Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Ginger and Pickles, and Kitty-in-Boots.

Is there a movie adaption of The Tale of Peter Rabbit?

Walt Disney wanted to make a movie version of Peter Rabbit, but Beatrix Potter refused. A televised version was made in 1991, and a movie was made in 2018.

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