The Story of Miss Moppet

The World of Beatrix Potter #10

by Beatrix Potter

This is the story of a charming little kitty named Moppet, who thinks she's heard a mouse!

This tale deals with Moppet, Tom Kitten's sister, and it is a simple but endearing story for little children about the tricks a brazen mouse gets up to. Unwisely, he finds himself in a precarious situation, but before the story ends, all is made good.

'The Story of Miss Moppet' was first published as a panorama fold-out for the Christmas of 1906. However, that format resulted unpopular with bookstores due to its unwieldiness. It would later be published as a regular book to the delight of fans.

Genres: Childrens, Classics, Picture Books, Fiction, Animals, Cats, Fantasy

34 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1906

About the author

Helen 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.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A one-minute cat and mouse story. The shortest book I've listened to 😸. Free on Amazon.

[[ J o ] · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlike the previous story about the naughty little bunny, I wasn't quite feeling this one. Beatrix nails the cruelty of cats quite well, but it doesn't have any charm, or much darkness, of any of the cute I've come to expect and love from Beatrix.

Her illustrations remain charming as ever, though.

[Biena Magbitang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me of Tom and Jerry. Haha.

[HoopoeGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, I was never a fan of Potter's cat illustrations. They're too linear, and lack a cute level I want from my drawn felines. Combine that with the simple story and this one is not a favorite entry in her library. Still, a good reminder not to tease others. Just eat your prey immediately.

[Joselyn Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was super cute watching the pictures going on and liked the story super adorable, the tale is super short but so appealing, every kid will love it.

[Janna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not unlike tom and jerry, haha. Reading a lot of Beatrix today.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why is everyone forever wrapping their heads up in dusters? It is crucially important I get an answer to this question. Lickety-split!

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent one for kids who just started to read. Short sentences and easy words. lovely illustrations, as usual.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning reversals, a death-defying escape, and cute illustrations. It's short AND it puts my girl to sleep

[Jesica Sabrina Canto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una pena que sea tan breve, pero tiene algo de original siendo un tema tan trillado la enemistad del gato y el ratón.
Como todos los cuentos de la autora que he leído resulta muy apropiado para niños, para fomentar su curiosidad por la historia y los diversos animales. Las ilustraciones, también como en los otros cuentos, son bonitas y estimulantes.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Ms. Potter's stories. : )

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite charming. I do love these illustrations. Tot especially loves seeing cats in books, as they remind her of our pets.

[Dione Basseri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming tale of a cat torturing a mouse for revenge. Or something. As the Beatrix Potter books go, this one might be one to save for about the last, so your kids can know things never turn out badly for any of the animals. I was legitimately concerned there'd be a death here.

The artwork displays Potter's always high quality and charm, and ability to make the human-like displays of her animal characters seem totally natural. A cat sitting with something on her head to ease an ache? Yeah, sure. Totally a thing. A mouse dancing a jig because he escaped death? You go, mouse.

Best is purchased as part of a collection. I'm seeing plenty of individual books for sale, and that's got to be inefficient on the price.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Moppet is one of Tabitha Twitchett's children. In this read-aloud she is on her own, dealing with a naughty mouse in her own way. Her idea on how to entice the mouse to get close enough to catch is pretty creative. Wrapping a sore part of the head or face in flannel to keep it warm, and sitting near the fire ditto, was a standard remedy for headache, toothache, earache, or sore throat in the days before aspirin, anti inflammatories and antibiotics. Keep it warm and sit quiet. Of course she's only a kitten, so with no outside help, the mouse comes out on top.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 2 out of 5]

So it's fine for the mouse to taunt and bit an ass but not ok for the cat to do the same and outsmart him? Stupid double standards.

[Kimberley doruyter · Rating 5 out of 5]

the mouse got away, yeah!

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the art work gets better and better and it is so special. This story was simple and for a very young age. Not much too it.

[Esther Hong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moppet's stunned look really got me.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

wish i had a kid to read these to

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had lovely drawings, I liked. It was a very short story about a mouse and a cat. Need I say more? Quite charming. This story was simple and for a very young age.

[Galy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short story about a cat trying to catch a mouse.

The illustrations are lovely.

[Squeakyoak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Digital Book for iPad and iPhone in new Immersive format!
This book comes alive with sound and zestfully ingenious interactivity!
You can read about book here: http://squeakyoak.com/en/books/miss-m...
Link to English version on App Store:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-st...

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cat Miss Moppet is relentlessly teased by a mouse whom she struggles to catch. Equally interesting is the mystery of why the mouse initially teases Miss Moppet. While some readers may not like the unresolved ending, other readers might enjoye the open ending. Readers seeking a story about unconquerable bullies (e.g. the mouse) might be amused.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that I had enjoyed these books as a child, but the more I have been re-reading them now, the more I realized, 'no, my mother enjoyed reading these to me, but I did not enjoy having them read'. There is an underlying cruelty to the books that I do not appreciate.

[Danielle]

Currently reading this book with one of my students. She loves it but we've only gotten through about 4 pages. We only have about 10 minutes to read. Looking forward to finishing it!

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite boring notning more to Say about that

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe it or not this is the first Beatrix Potter book I have ever read. It was an absolute delight from start to finish.

[monica ♪ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with super cute illustrations! Cats lovers would love this book, I'm sure :)

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved reading Beatrix Potter's books as a child... but it's never too late!

[K. Anna Kraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have arranged my thoughts into a haiku:

"Manipulation:
An important lesson for
Expert mouse-catchers."