Tomorrow we celebrate Beatrix Potter’s birthday. The beloved children’s author who put animals and the natural beauty of the countryside at the very heart of her work. As someone who called Cumbria home for many years herself, I find great fondness in revisiting the many animal tales for a slice of homely nostalgia.
Peter Rabbit & friends was a huge part of my early childhood. We’d visit the stores dedicated solely to her collection of creatures in the quaint market towns of Cumbria, and we were never far away from the rolling fells and farms which provided the backdrop for many of her stories (e.g. Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck). These Lake District landscapes were as much a part of our life as they were Beatrix’s: because it wasn’t just the work of literature which granted her her ‘national treasure’ admiration, but also her work on farming and conservation too. This preservation advocacy later resulted in the Lake District we know of today, and it’s protected status continues to stand.
Beatrix Potter led an interesting life full of study, nature and silly little animal stories. Like myself, she was born in London but lived many years in the Lake District, and could often be found tending to her animals or enjoying the great outdoors. Her early works were often rejected by publishers: the Tale of Peter Rabbit was actually self-published initially! She’s a great example of honing it on self-belief and courage. I particularly enjoyed the film Miss Potter, starring Renée Zellweger, which touches on all of this. Beatrix Potter has left behind a great legacy – not only for her literary characters, but also in terms of the 4,000 acres of land and 14 farms which she left to the National Trust after passing. You can visit Hill Top farm in Cumbria to learn more about her dedication to this conservation.
Moving onto the animal tales themselves, and I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t read her whole anthology – (the complete collection from my childhood can still be found on my bookshelf though!) – but it was that of Jemima Puddle-Duck and, of course, Peter Rabbit which were my most memorable. I love the way she gave each character a unique personality, and somehow matched this to their real-life counterparts. As a (previous) rabbit owner, myself, I know only too well how cheeky and naughty the humble bunny can be at times! Whilst holidaying in the Lakes, Beatrix could be found collecting and studying the local fauna which would later become the muse for her early stories. It was this research, combined with her creativity and artistic talent, which resulted in such believable animal tales.
Now into adulthood, I’ve began studying her work with a different eye. I look into the way she describes nature, the surroundings, and the characters themselves; for this provides great inspiration into creating an animal-focused story – something I’m in the process of writing myself!
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