Peter Rabbit's Storytime Collection - Beatrix Potter
Stories originally published between 1902-1918.
Ever since our son Ezekiel was born last year, I've been wondering how to acknowledge the books I read with him. As a general rule, things that end up on this list take 'a while' to read; I don't include articles, or comics (sorry Asterix), or picture books, because they are too short, and would also bulk this list out too much.
But, reading to Ezekiel is a privilege, and is something I quite enjoy, and I would love to be able to share some of that enjoyment here. So, as a beginning, I've decided to include some of the 'larger' storybooks I read to Ezekiel. And maybe I might also include groups of picture books as a single entry, especially when they are ones that we really enjoy.
...When I say 'we' I mostly mean myself and Elise for now. At present Ezekiel's level of 'enjoyment' is based around how well he can stick a book in his mouth.
So, anyway...
This is a collection of 14 of the Beatrix Potter 'Peter Rabbit and friends' stories, and considering she wrote a grand total of 23 of these, this collection is quite a significant chunk of her output (she also did write other stories as well, but they're not really what she's known for)! The collection opens, appropriately enough, with The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and moves on chronologically (by order of publication) with tales based around many other woodland (or household) creatures. Often, it seems, a character introduced in one of these stories will end up with their own 'spin off' story - this is the case with Benjamin Bunny and his children, Jemima Puddle-Duck, and even the 'villainous' fox Mr Tod (who, strangely, doesn't even end up as the main character even in his own spin-off tale). Alternately, characters who have their own stories to begin with with also turn up as supporting characters in later stories - both Peter and Benjamin have multiple entries, and at one point Mrs Tiggy-Winkle (a hedgehog who was introduced in her own tale) cameos in a story in picture form only, without being mentioned in the narrative at all.
The stories at the beginning of the book (Potter's earliest) are mostly simple, and relatively short. It seems that as she grew in her confidence, she also grew in the complexity of the stories being told. It may be more a reflection on whether Ezekiel was enjoying himself or not, but in some early cases I got through three or four tales in a single sitting; it took about four sessions to get through The Tale of Mr. Tod.
As for favourites... I quite liked The Tale of Samuel Whiskers, in which a disobedient kitten faces getting eaten by rats, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, in which the unsuspecting Jemima is being groomed for a feast of duck by the 'foxy-whiskered gentleman' later known as Mr Tod, and The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, in which the cheeky and rude titular squirrel risks getting eaten by a very patient owl...
...on reflection, I seem to enjoy the stories where a main character risks being eaten... how odd... I hope that doesn't say anything about me!
At the other end of the spectrum, The Tale of Ginger and Pickles doesn't have much of an actual plot - rather, it seems to exist to introduce the idea of a store run by animals for animals... and to warn against shopkeepers giving credit to their customers, which may not be the most applicable of lessons for preschool children to learn...
Overall, this is a fun collection of classic tales. It is a strange world in which animals both act like animals and like humans depending on what suits the plot the best. It is a world in which dolls 'live' but only lean on objects and seem to be moved by their (unmentioned) humans. And it is also a world in which Beatrix Potter herself cameos on occasion.
I recommend this book.
With all books that I read to Ezekiel, the fact that I mention them here will only be a sign that we have completed them at least once; I will definitely be revisiting this with him. And I will be curious to see how he finds the stories when he is old enough to fully engage with them.
Completed, with Ezekiel, 13 April 2024.
(Ezekiel Books)
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