The life story of the author of many beloved children’s books.
Beatrix Potter
Europe
Materials from Europe
In My Own Time
A critically acclaimed children’s novelist reveals the origins of her stories in her own childhood experiences in England during World War II, her years at Oxford, her family life, and her role in numerous literary organizations.
Goodbye Rune
When her best friend accidentally drowns, a little girl, with the help of her parents, tries to come to terms with his death and her feelings of loss and sadness.
Julian
When people make fun of his hair instead of listening to the beautiful music he plays on his flute, Julian finally decides not to pay any attention to them.
Jon’s Moon
Jon lived with his father close by the sea. Every night Jon’s father went out to sea to fish, and every night, Jon stayed safely at home with the moon to keep him company. All was well until one night a storm raged, and a fugue wave stuck Jon’s father such a blow that it drove the spirit out of him. the spirit sank to the bottom of the seam leaving Jon’s father colorless and cold.
I Love
A girl describes all of her favorite things, from standing on her Papa’s feet as he dances around the room to chewing bubble gum until it is just right.
The Flea
“Once there was a little flea who thought that he was too little . . .” And so begins an innocent quest. The flea wants to be bigger. He scales a pea. Then scales an apple. He climbs atop a flower, a plant, a tree, a home . . . a telephone wire, a skyscraper . . . finally, the flea finds himself on a cloud! Down below, a bear notices him. So, is the flea now big? Or just high up? The Flea uses appealingly stylized art, simple text, humorous twists, and one very determined flea to give young readers a light lesson on the importance of perspective and the malleable meaning of words.
Dounia
A gentle and powerful story follows the experiences of Dounia, a young girl who is adopted by a family from another country, in an exploration of how it feels to be part of the interracial adoption process.
Christoph Wants A Party
His father comes up with a way for Christoph to have the party he wants for his fifth birthday, despite the smallness of their apartment.
Against the Odds
Kiki lives with her mother, father, and repulsive old dog. Life is good except that her father, a doctor, feels compelled to constantly embark on humanitarian missions to dangerous places. No matter how persuasive her arguments, Kiki can’t convince him to stay home. Her mother explains the odds — there’s very little chance her father will die because, after all, how many of her friends’ fathers have died? Unconvinced, Kiki dreams up ways to bolster those odds. If it’s unlikely that a girl would lose her father, wouldn’t it be twice as unlikely that she’d lose a father and a pet? When her father actually does go missing, and her mother becomes increasingly distraught, Kiki feels she really must do something — but can she live with the consequences of committing such a terrible, irrevocable act? This perceptive and compelling novel deals with serious moral issues in a funny, deeply human way.