Beatrix Potter

Today - 28 July - is Beatrix Potter's birthday - thank you Facebook for this random bit of information! I spotted a Penguin Books post this morning when I was doing my morning trawl, and it's been sitting at the back of my head ever since. I think, in the world of children's books, there would be very few of us in the English speaking world who'd not had contact with Peter Rabbit and all of Beatrix Potter's delightful characters one way or another.

 Mine started with my baby crockery - which I still have, tucked away carefully. I have my mug, and cereal dish, both of which were carefully used for my own children, and may get handed down if the boys provide me with grandchildren one day!

I have a few of the books, still, from my childhood, along with some I collected for the boys - all in storage. My favourite characters were always Jeremy Fisher and Jemima Puddleduck.

I particularly loved the portrayal of Jeremy Fisher in the Royal Ballet production of Beatrix Potter stories. There was something - to my eyes as a child - so unutterably splendid about the sheer physicality of the dancer's leaps and bounds across the lily pads!

And then, there's the lovely film that was made more recently, Miss Potter, with Renee Zellweger as Beatrix Potter. I missed it in the cinema, but eventually got around to seeing it on DVD - just lovely.

I don't think the books have ever gone out of print. DB and I have bought some for Small Niece, and hopefully they, like mine, will go on to be handed down, because I don't think these little books will ever date.