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Selected Tales
A wonderful collection of four of the most popular classic Beatrix Potter tales presented in a luxurious padded format. Selected tales include The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes, The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, and The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse and features original stunning artwork throughout.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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About the author
Beatrix Potter
3,355 books2,141 followersHelen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, mycologist, and conservationist who is best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters such as Peter Rabbit.
Born into a wealthy household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets, and through holidays in Scotland and the Lake District, developed a love of landscape, flora, and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. Because she was a woman, her parents discouraged intellectual development, but her study and paintings of fungi led her to be widely respected in the field of mycology.
In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit and became secretly engaged to her publisher, Norman Warne, causing a breach with her parents, who disapproved of his social status. Warne died before the wedding.
Potter eventually published 24 children's books, the most recent being The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots (2016), and having become financially independent of her parents, was able to buy a farm in the Lake District, which she extended with other purchases over time.
In her forties, she married a local solicitor, William Heelis. She became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate children's books. Potter died in 1943 and left almost all of her property to The National Trust in order to preserve the beauty of the Lake District as she had known it, protecting it from developers.
Potter's books continue to sell well throughout the world, in multiple languages. Her stories have been retold in various formats, including a ballet, films, and in animation.
Born into a wealthy household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets, and through holidays in Scotland and the Lake District, developed a love of landscape, flora, and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted. Because she was a woman, her parents discouraged intellectual development, but her study and paintings of fungi led her to be widely respected in the field of mycology.
In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit and became secretly engaged to her publisher, Norman Warne, causing a breach with her parents, who disapproved of his social status. Warne died before the wedding.
Potter eventually published 24 children's books, the most recent being The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots (2016), and having become financially independent of her parents, was able to buy a farm in the Lake District, which she extended with other purchases over time.
In her forties, she married a local solicitor, William Heelis. She became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate children's books. Potter died in 1943 and left almost all of her property to The National Trust in order to preserve the beauty of the Lake District as she had known it, protecting it from developers.
Potter's books continue to sell well throughout the world, in multiple languages. Her stories have been retold in various formats, including a ballet, films, and in animation.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 11, 2020
Una bellissima edizione.
4 storie simbolo del mondo di Beatrix Potter corredate dalle classiche (e stupende) illustrazioni.
Un bel viaggio... da approfondire!
4 storie simbolo del mondo di Beatrix Potter corredate dalle classiche (e stupende) illustrazioni.
Un bel viaggio... da approfondire!
August 11, 2018
I regularly borrow and enjoy this absolutely lovely little book. It is timeless and continues to give happiness to generation after generation and as my librarian tells me to many many adults like myself also!
December 6, 2020
Book #10 for Believathon, November 2020: Read a book that features a colourful cast of characters
This was absolutely delightful! I was familiar with the tale of Peter the Rabbit but it was wonderful to read more from the world of Beatrix Potter.
This was absolutely delightful! I was familiar with the tale of Peter the Rabbit but it was wonderful to read more from the world of Beatrix Potter.
March 14, 2011
bought for me by my mom in London, 2008
reread on march 13th 2011
reread on march 13th 2011
June 11, 2017
This is a great bedtime storybook.
July 17, 2021
It is a little difficult to get too excited about this Beatrix Potter collection, if only because it is a very mean portion of Potter. There are only four stories here, albeit nicely illustrated. However I think they were released as separate books originally, so perhaps it is churlish to complain that there are so few of them here.
The book contains one of Potter’s most famous tales, that of Peter Rabbit. He is the naughty young rabbit who ignores his mother’s instructions not to venture into Mr McGregor’s vegetable patch, and barely escapes with his life.
Timmy Tiptoes deals with a luckless squirrel who runs into problems while trying to store nuts. The Tale of the Pie and the Petty-Pan concerns a tea party between a cat and a dog in which dishes are swapped around in an oven, leading to comical misunderstandings. The last tale has Johnny Town-Mouse welcoming country mouse Timmy Willie to his home, and then paying a return visit to Timmy’s country home.
I haven’t read Beatrix Potter before. Perhaps it was too late in life, or the number of stories was too small, but I found it hard to feel too engaged by them. While the best children’s stories have content that is interesting to adults, these seem to be pitched at a younger audience. Perhaps if I had children of my own I would have liked them better.
The very basic essence of the stories is grist for literary critics however, and a large number of incredibly solemn interpretations of a psychological and sociological nature are offered concerning the books.
That is an area I don’t wish to delve in. Suffice it to say that the books are interesting in the way they anthropomorphise the animal world. The characters are indeed given a moderate degree of psychological depth, so that we can understand their fears and motivations, and this humanises them. This is in contrast to say, Winnie-the-Pooh, which reduces its animals to comical caricatures.
The animals also follow the social etiquette expected of humans. This is especially true in The Tale of the Pie and the Petty-Pan where the two animals struggle to deal with the social niceties involved in a tea party, and come to grief.
In the last story about the country and town mouse, Potter sympathetically expresses the difference between rural and urban life, a universal theme, and clearly puts her flag on the rural side.
As is often the case with children’s stories about animals, the hard realities of nature are glossed over. Peter Rabbit is warned about another rabbit who was killed by the humans. The cat in The Tale of the Pie and the Petty-Pan is cooking a mouse pie, which lends an amusingly dark shadow to the next story, which is about two mice. Overall though children will not be unduly distressed.
Potter’s stories are entertainingly whimsical, but best enjoyed while a child, or while reading with children.
The book contains one of Potter’s most famous tales, that of Peter Rabbit. He is the naughty young rabbit who ignores his mother’s instructions not to venture into Mr McGregor’s vegetable patch, and barely escapes with his life.
Timmy Tiptoes deals with a luckless squirrel who runs into problems while trying to store nuts. The Tale of the Pie and the Petty-Pan concerns a tea party between a cat and a dog in which dishes are swapped around in an oven, leading to comical misunderstandings. The last tale has Johnny Town-Mouse welcoming country mouse Timmy Willie to his home, and then paying a return visit to Timmy’s country home.
I haven’t read Beatrix Potter before. Perhaps it was too late in life, or the number of stories was too small, but I found it hard to feel too engaged by them. While the best children’s stories have content that is interesting to adults, these seem to be pitched at a younger audience. Perhaps if I had children of my own I would have liked them better.
The very basic essence of the stories is grist for literary critics however, and a large number of incredibly solemn interpretations of a psychological and sociological nature are offered concerning the books.
That is an area I don’t wish to delve in. Suffice it to say that the books are interesting in the way they anthropomorphise the animal world. The characters are indeed given a moderate degree of psychological depth, so that we can understand their fears and motivations, and this humanises them. This is in contrast to say, Winnie-the-Pooh, which reduces its animals to comical caricatures.
The animals also follow the social etiquette expected of humans. This is especially true in The Tale of the Pie and the Petty-Pan where the two animals struggle to deal with the social niceties involved in a tea party, and come to grief.
In the last story about the country and town mouse, Potter sympathetically expresses the difference between rural and urban life, a universal theme, and clearly puts her flag on the rural side.
As is often the case with children’s stories about animals, the hard realities of nature are glossed over. Peter Rabbit is warned about another rabbit who was killed by the humans. The cat in The Tale of the Pie and the Petty-Pan is cooking a mouse pie, which lends an amusingly dark shadow to the next story, which is about two mice. Overall though children will not be unduly distressed.
Potter’s stories are entertainingly whimsical, but best enjoyed while a child, or while reading with children.
October 12, 2021
Terhibur dengan kisahnya Peter dan Timmy. Sementara untuk dua kisah lainnya, masih gagal paham makna dibaliknya. Katanya ini empat cerita terpopuler atau terbaiknya dari Beatrix Potter. Sebelumnya saya juga sangat menikmati kisah-kisah lain dari Beatrix Potter. Di buku ini ada lima hewan berbeda yaitu kelinci, tupai, kucing-anjing, dan tikus. Hal yang cukup menarik adalah setelah membaca bagian Ribby si kucing yang membuat pie tikus, cerita selanjutnya adalah Timmy si tikus. Jadi ngebayangin dia yang dipanggang huhuhu.
Sepertinya saya memang cukup tertarik dengan alur cerita Beatrix ketika tokohnya kabur atau pergi dari kampung halaman untuk menjelajahi tempat baru seperti kisah Peter dan Timmy. Pasti ujungnya mereka akan kembali ke tempat asal karena tidak ada yang lebih nyaman dari tempat asal sendiri. Nggak masalah karena seperti yang digambarkan Beatrix pada kalimat ini di akhir kisah Timmy,
“One place suits one person, another place suits another person.”
Bukan tempat saja sih. Pemikiran maupun pendapat mungkin bisa berbeda-beda, tergantung orang itu cocoknya dimana. Tapi walaupun berbeda, berteman tetap menghargai pilihan masing-masing seperti Timmy dan Johnny.
Sepertinya saya memang cukup tertarik dengan alur cerita Beatrix ketika tokohnya kabur atau pergi dari kampung halaman untuk menjelajahi tempat baru seperti kisah Peter dan Timmy. Pasti ujungnya mereka akan kembali ke tempat asal karena tidak ada yang lebih nyaman dari tempat asal sendiri. Nggak masalah karena seperti yang digambarkan Beatrix pada kalimat ini di akhir kisah Timmy,
“One place suits one person, another place suits another person.”
Bukan tempat saja sih. Pemikiran maupun pendapat mungkin bisa berbeda-beda, tergantung orang itu cocoknya dimana. Tapi walaupun berbeda, berteman tetap menghargai pilihan masing-masing seperti Timmy dan Johnny.
July 23, 2017
Wee collection of four of Potter's picture books, which I read and reviewed separately so this is just for my own records. Rating is the average of individual star collections: the really rather boring (because so often told) Johnny Town-Mouse got two stars, the likeable Timmy Tiptoes and The Pie and the Patty Pan each earned three - but the best and most charming of the lot is of course Peter Rabbit, with four stars. As always, her illustrations are worth the price of admission alone, they're really better than the prose, which is perfectly adequate if not hugely inspiring.
September 27, 2019
*4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this book! It included the Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes, The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, and the Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse. I don’t know which one was my favorite. I enjoyed them all!
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a cute collection of children’s books!
I really enjoyed reading this book! It included the Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes, The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, and the Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse. I don’t know which one was my favorite. I enjoyed them all!
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a cute collection of children’s books!
March 1, 2019
Lovely book with the story of Peter Rabbit! So grateful to have received this book from Presbyterian after our son finally came home.
April 2, 2019
Traditional tales of Beatrix Potter from Peter Rabbit to Jemina Puddle duck.
April 2, 2019
I'd never read Beatrix Potter tales, though I'd often heard about them.
This was a nice introduction to her world, including the famous Peter Rabbit and Beatrix's illustrations!
This was a nice introduction to her world, including the famous Peter Rabbit and Beatrix's illustrations!
July 20, 2021
Fun to read these moral tales to my kids. Such simple lessons taught through the medium of amusing animals. I have to admit, I like the illustrations the best.
April 15, 2022
I'm pretty sure I owned all of these growing up, but I had no memory of the stories
February 17, 2024
This was a really quite cute book took me about 20ish minutes to read really nice illustrations. Four story that about less 50 words on each page.
March 27, 2024
Cutest stories T-T 🐇🐁🐈🐾🐿️
I carry Timmy Willie in my heart now 🫶
I carry Timmy Willie in my heart now 🫶
June 19, 2024
Rabbit, squirrel, cat, dog, mouse, and whimsy. Joyous & a delight 🥰
January 3, 2015
I haven't read any of these since I was a wee tad (or is that wee, wee, wee?). And she was a great illustrator as well as storyteller. Nice bedtime diversion from the usual war chronicles and devastations of modern capitalism which are the bulk of my usual readings. This particular set of editions are well bound and printed on heavy paper much as you would find in a good book of art reproductions. That's good news for the illustrations reproduced within. I plan on getting around to all of them eventually.
WARNING: Children (of all ages) are encouraged to use the utmost discretion in allowing older siblings and adults access to these books. There are no zombie or vampire tales in these books, just tales of animals (usually dressed up in Victorian attire) getting into trouble doing silly things; with happy endings - at least none of the characters has gotten eaten in any of the stories so far.
WARNING: Children (of all ages) are encouraged to use the utmost discretion in allowing older siblings and adults access to these books. There are no zombie or vampire tales in these books, just tales of animals (usually dressed up in Victorian attire) getting into trouble doing silly things; with happy endings - at least none of the characters has gotten eaten in any of the stories so far.
January 15, 2016
A delightful little collection of authorized editions, which included two stories I had never read! "The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes" and "The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse", which might now be my very favorite Beatrix Potter story.
February 11, 2016
I haven't read this book since I was a child and with the discovery of a new Beatrix potter tale, i decided now was a good time to re-visit the tales. Beatrix Potter writes such wonderful tales. Everyone needs to read them at least once
May 21, 2016
Denne boken bringer tilbake så mange barndomsminner! Fine fortellinger og ikke minst fine illustrasjoner.
This book brings back so many childhood memories! Nice stories and I love the illustrations.
This book brings back so many childhood memories! Nice stories and I love the illustrations.
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August 7, 2011Children's classic.
February 13, 2013
Tyttäreni pitää näistä tarinoista oikein paljon. Suloiset kuvat innostavat tutkimaan sivun sisältöä tarkemmin. Kirja on mukavaa luettavaa näin aikuisenkin mielestä.
June 23, 2017
Very cute and reminds me of my childhood. I love the puffy cover and the beautiful illustrations. A couple of the stories seem awfully silly now but I suppose that is the point.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews