A Short Story of Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter is regarded as one of the world's most cherished children's authors of all time. Since her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, published in 1902, she went on to produce a string of tales regarding characters just like Mrs Tiggy Winkle, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddleduck, Mr Jeremy Fisher and Tom Kitten.

She was known also for her dazzling illustrations and artwork, which she sent to friends in the form of a postcard and in later years used to develop her legendary range of books. Her books revolved around nature and the fascinating characters which were based on animals.

Beatrix Potter was born in London on 28 July 1866 where she lived a privileged life with her wealthy Victorian family. She didn’t go to school but was schooled at home by a tutor; this meant that her childhood was somewhat lonely.

In an effort to make her loneliness bearable Beatrix surrounded herself with numerous animals, chiefly rabbits who she called Peter and Benjamin, frogs, ferrets, dogs and also a pet bat. Beatrix loved watching them all and would often sit and sketch them incessantly until her drawings of them were greatly improved. Pets and animals were her frequent companions all through her childhood and she had fun exploring the countryside and learning about animals and plants from her own observations.

After she was 16, Beatrix and her parents decided on a holiday to Windermere in the Lake District and right away became delighted and enthralled with the stunning scenery she saw there. On visiting Near Sawrey in 1896 she noticed for the first time the farmhouse that was ultimately to become a location she would visit frequently and for long periods of time.

It was in this particular farmhouse, Hill Top, that Beatrix would write and illustrate the majority of her books from around 1906 onwards, opening with the Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher. Beatrix set 6 of her children’s picture books and storybooks here and the house eventually became her personal museum. Many bits of the garden and house were used for illustrations in her books. Peter Rabbit and many other of her characters still continue to be steady favourites with kids to this day.

Being interested in studying natural history, Beatrix Potter took an active interest in conserving the countryside of the Lake District, so much so that she became a benefactor and donated lots of priceless books and a number of her watercolour sketches. Beatrix started these paintings long before she became an author of books for children of all ages.

Most of the world's famous books are enormously long and Victorian writers especially seemed to relish taking their time over developing their plots. But Beatrix Potter however, focused on books so brief and so little in overall size that they scarcely seemed to be books at all. But they were books and they even now retain a tremendous following with young readers, who become fixed friends with characters such as Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy Winkle, the hedgehog.

Regardless of what some may think, Beatrix Potter was not a soppy, shrinking violet. It is a well known fact that she was a self sufficient, self-taught and accomplished artist and environmentalist and an enthusiastically creative narrator.

All of the animal characters invoke some kind of an affection and the tales are amongst the favourite ones which parents read to their kids and lots of people know the characters although they’ve never actually read the books. Although kids in particular love Beatrix Potter, you’re never too old to read these charming and remarkable stories. Fans of Beatrix Potter everywhere can find out everything about her in biographies books of famous people.


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