The Tale of Peter Rabbit

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**Title** **The Tale of Peter Rabbit**
Author	Beatrix Potter
Illustrator	Beatrix Potter
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre(s)	Children's novel
Publisher	Frederick Warne and Company
Released	1902
Media type	Print (Hardback)
ISBN	NA
Followed by	The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is the first in the series of children's books written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, and is perhaps her best-known work. The book was written for private amusement, but publication was urged by Potter's friends.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.^[1]^[2]

1 Plot synopsis
2 References in popular culture
3 Footnotes
4 External links

[edit] Plot synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Peter Rabbit and his three sisters (Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail) live with their mother under the roots of a large fir tree. Peter, who is an adventurous young bunny, invades the garden of Mr. McGregor. This is the same garden where his father had met with an unfortunate accident and was made into a pie. After Peter has helped himself to some of the garden's vegetables and wanders about to find some parsley to settle his full belly, he is chased by the angry farmer. As he runs, he loses his shoes among the vegetables, and then gets caught up in the netting that protects a group of gooseberry bushes. Peter escapes just in time after a group of helpful birds encourage him to try to loose himself one more time. He loses his jacket as he wiggles free just before Mr. McGregor can trap him with a sieve. He then ducks into a gardening shed and hides in a watering can, but gives himself away when he can't help but sneeze. After three more close calls (avoiding a cat and eluding Mr. McGregor twice) he finally makes it safely out of the garden and returns home, to collapse on the floor of his home. Mr. McGregor makes a scarecrow of the clothing Peter leaves behind. Peter's sisters enjoy a bread and blackberry dinner, but Peter finds he is still not feeling well (after having eaten too much and then spent time in the wet watering can) and is sent to bed by his mother with only a bit of chamomile tea for his meal.

The character of Mr. McGregor is thought to be based on a local resident of the village of Dalguise in Perthshire, where Potter holidayed as a child.

[edit] References in popular culture

In the musical You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, the song "Book Report" is about the characters' frustrations in writing a 100-word book report about Peter Rabbit.