Spring and a special little rabbit

There are signs of spring everywhere. Flowers are popping out of the ground, and stores are filled with colorful merchandise.

I don’t know about anyone else, but a naughty bunny named Peter Rabbit comes to mind when I see these signs of spring – though chamomile tea and the name MacGregor do the same thing, frankly.

It’s not because I’m obsessed with this disobedient bunny but simply because Beatrix Potter’s “Tale of Peter Rabbit” (opens in a new window) (Warne) has become part of a child’s heritage.

In fact, for Peter’s 100th birthday in 2002 (actually the celebration of the book’s 1902 publication), the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History (opens in a new window) in Washington, D.C., hosted an exhibition of Peter Rabbit’s garden. There was also a 2006 film about Beatrix Potter (opens in a new window).

Even though the exhibition is long gone and the movie mostly forgotten, the book continues. What fun it would be to start a Peter Rabbit garden at home or at school!

Potter herself was quite the naturalist, as well as an artist. Just think about how a Peter Rabbit garden might inspire and “grow” various interests and skills – art, science, research, and even an author study (opens in a new window).

Don’t let the Peter Rabbit spin-offs put you off, though (and there are lots of them!). The small size of Potter’s original book is just right for a child’s hands, and it is ideal to share with children – but not the very youngest. It’s worth waiting til an older age for children to hear the rich language and examine the delicately detailed illustrations. Children usually start to appreciate Peter’s antics around kindergarten, or even slightly later.

There is an official Peter Rabbit website (opens in a new window) with a bit of information about Potter as well as some activities for children. (Do note that this site is sponsored by the publisher of the original Potter books, and like most commercially-sponsored sites, is intended for adults.)

Happy spring to everyone! Here’s hoping that gardens grow and books are shared!