TWU LS 5603 - Picture Book Reviews - THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT

BIBLIOGRAPHY #3

Potter, Beatrix. 1992. THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT. Avenel, NJ: Derrydale Books. ISBN 051705079X

PLOT SUMMARY

This book is the tale of Peter Rabbit and his visit to Mr. McGregor’s garden. Peter’s mother gives her children a warning to avoid the garden, and all but Peter abide.  After consuming the farmer’s vegetables, Peter is chased out of the garden only to arrive at home and receive a quiet punishment from his mother.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This classic fable is timeless in the narrator’s delivery of the warnings by Peter’s mother and the subsequent consequence of not following the directive to stay out of Mr. McGregor’s garden. The perspective of Peter’s fear is highlighted by the exclamation points and short paragraphs. The description of the garden with its various vegetable names, gives the reader the idea that the garden setting is large and freeing as opposed to the small, confined spaces like Peter squeezing under the fence, narrowly escaping the sieve, and jumping into a can.  The pace of the story is controlled by the amount of text on each page and the illustration on each page.  The drawings assist the reader in the story plot understanding, as well as, add to the suspense of having Peter hide and sneak his way back to his house. The culmination of the story with the chamomile tea reflects the mother’s sentiment at having her son arrive safely at home by giving him a calming dose of the traditional juvenile punishment of “go to bed without any dinner.”

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Book Links (ALA) 07/01/07

Wilson’s Children 10/01/06

Elementary School Library Collection 06/01/00

CONNECTIONS

The World of Peter Rabbit website. http://www.peterrabbit.com/us/index.asp

Gerstein, Mordicai. 2009. MINIFRED GOES TO SCHOOL. New York, NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060758902

·         Partner this book in discussing rules and expected behavior

Pinkwater, Daniel and Pinkwater, Jill. 2003. BAD BEARS IN THE BIG CITY: AN IRVING & MUTUK STORY. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618252088

·         Partner this book in discussing the mischief one kind find in the country versus the city setting