The Tale of Peter Rabbit

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

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.”

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.”

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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.

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

Each year, over [2 million](https://www.deseret.com/2017/1/15/20604038/the-tale-of-peter-rabbit-author-illustrator-honored-after-150-years#a-celebration-of-beatrix-potter-was-published-in-celebration-of-150-years-since-potters-birth){:target="_blank"} copies are sold around the world, with a total of 45 million copies sold. The first 250 copies Potter made were [sold out](http://mentalfloss.com/article/75173/9-facts-about-peter-rabbit){:target="_blank"} in a few months.

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

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.

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.

Walt Disney wanted to make a movie version of Peter Rabbit, but Beatrix Potter refused. A [televised version](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1572314/){:target="_blank"} was made in 1991, and a [movie](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5117670/){:target="_blank"} was made in 2018.