L. Frank Baum’s timeless stories in the magical Land of Oz, L. M. Montgomery’s beautiful tales of Anne of Green Gables and J. M. Barrie’s magical Peter Pan adventures have entertained readers for over a hundred years. Now for the first time in publishing history, you can own the complete works of these prolific writers.

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The Twenty-Three Tales

Bolton Gardens, South Kensington — Beatrix Potter’s birthplace

The present day plaque on the site of the birthplace

Beatrix Potter with her parents. Her father was a London barrister, who specialised in equity law and conveyancing. He had married Helen Leech, the daughter of a wealthy cotton merchant and shipbuilder from Stalybridge, in 1863.

Potter as a child

Potter with her mother, c. 1876

Potter as a child

THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is Beatrix Potter’s first and most famous book. Initially written for the young son of Potter’s former governess, Annie Carter, in 1893, the work was rejected by a series of publishers, before being privately printed in 1901, followed by Frederick Warne & Co publishing the tale in October 1902. It centres on the disobedient young rabbit Peter, who is told by his mother not to enter Mr McGregor’s garden because he might be captured and killed. Mr McGregor’s wife is also considered very cruel and frightening because she killed and ate her first husband in a pie. Peter’s three sisters sensibly obey their mother’s warning and only pick berries from the lane, but Peter decides to enter the garden in search of vegetables. The story then involves Peter’s possible capture and attempts to make it home to his mother and sisters. Peter is an unusual hero for the time because he is scared and irrational rather than brave, courageous and logical which were typical characteristics of the era.

The work has been translated into over thirty-six languages and sold more than forty-five million copies worldwide, making it one of the most commercially successful books of all time. In 1938 Potter denied the rights of the work to Walt Disney, who wished to make an animated feature film of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The author was immediately very aware of the commercial possibilities of merchandise stemming from the success of her work. Within the first three years of its publication there were Peter Rabbit soft toys, nursery wallpaper and a board game.

One of the initial 250 copies published privately for the author. In 1901 Potter sent her manuscript of ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’ to at least six publishers, only to have it refused by each of them. She made the decision to print the book herself whilst continuing the search for a publisher who would issue the book as she wished.

The first edition

Potter, close to the time of publication

THE TALE OF

PETER RABBIT

BEATRIX POTTER

Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were —

Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Cotton-tail,
and Peter.

They lived with their Mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir-tree.

‘Now my dears,’ said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, ‘you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.’

‘Now run along, and don’t get into mischief. I am going out.’

Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, and went through the wood to the baker’s. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns.