Peter Rabbit Books: Original Tales by Beatrix Potter

Choose one (or all!) of Beatrix Potter's classic and original tales of the World of Peter Rabbit.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902): 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. It tells the story of a very mischievous rabbit and the trouble he encounters in Mr. McGregor’s vegetable garden!

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903): Beatrix Potter’s famous tale of a naughty squirrel who loses his tail. Nutkin, his brother Twinkleberry and all his cousins make their way over to Owl Island to gather nuts, but Old Brown, the terrifying owl guardian of the island, has decided he has had enough of silly Nutkin’s cheekiness!

The Tailor of Gloucester (1903): This tale tells the story of a poor tailor trying to survive in his freezing workshop over a hard winter. He has a terribly important commission to complete before Christmas Day but is ill and tired. Luckily some very kind mice live in the dresser and set about helping the tailor with his work.

The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904): Chaos ensues when Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca, two naughty little mice, creep into Lucinda and Jane’s doll’s house one morning. They set about taking things to make their little home more comfortable but end up creating a terrible mess.

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (1905):  A little girl called Lucie discovers a hidden home high in the hills. She knocks on the door and meets Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle who does all the washing and ironing for the neighboring animals. Lucie spends a lovely day helping her, but it’s only later that she realizes Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle is a hedgehog!

The Story of Miss Moppet (1906): The Story of Miss Moppet recounts the tale of a pussy cat, Miss Moppet, chasing a mouse. It turns out to be a bit of a battle of wits, and who do you think will win?

The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding (1908): The first farm that Beatrix Potter owned, Hill Top, was an old house with thick walls and many hiding places for rats and mice. In this tale, the farmhouse is Tom Kitten’s home and the story tells what happens when Tom accidentally comes upon the rat Samuel Whiskers living in a secret hideout behind the attic walls.

The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (1909): When the cupboard is bare at the Flopsy Bunny’s burrow, the family all have to go in search of food. They soon find some old lettuces on Mr. McGregor’s rubbish heap, but who can imagine the horrors that await them as they enjoy a nap after lunch!

The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse (1910): Mrs. Tittlemouse is a terribly tidy little wood mouse. She is always sweeping her burrow, polishing and tidying. It seems that no sooner has she started than another messy visitor appears to leave their muddy footprints everywhere. Beatrix made beautiful studies of insects, to produce delightful pictures of the spiders to bees, found in Mrs. Tittlemouse’s home.

The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes (1911): Beatrix wrote this story to appeal to her American fans and featured animals of American origin (grey squirrels, chipmunks and a black bear) living in the Lake District woods! Poor Timmy Tiptoes ends up deep inside the trunk of a dead tree, with no means of getting out. Luckily, the chipmunk who lives there is very kind.

The Tale of Mr. Tod (1912): The Tale of Mr. Tod brings back Beatrix Potter’s most popular heroes, Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, in an adventure that also features two very disagreeable villains. Fortunately, Tommy Brock the badger and Mr. Tod the fox dislike each other so much that when Tommy Brock kidnaps Benjamin’s young family, Mr. Tod unwittingly becomes the rabbits’ ally.