Saving the countryside The story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit

Perhaps Peter Rabbit needs no introduction, but even children who know Beatrix Potter's name probably know little about her. This appealing picture book fills that gap, starting with her sheltered London childhood, glorious summers of freedom in the country, and hours spent drawing animals such as her pet rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer. As a young woman, Potter faced rejection for her scientific study of mushrooms, but she also wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit and 22 other books, which brought great acclaim. Once financially independent, she moved to a farm, married, and continued buying land to preserve the countryside she loved. Marshall simplifies Potter's story while including details of her upbringing in the Victorian era, the creation of her books, and her significant contribution to preserving England's Lake District. There's something fresh and beguiling about Urbinati's fluid illustrations. While somewhat idealized in their portrayal of Potter, they reflect the tone of the text and bring this gifted writer/illustrator and her surroundings to life on the page. Recommended for young Beatrix Potter fans.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2019 Booklist

PreS-Gr 3--Beatrix Potter's extraordinary life is introduced to a new generation of readers in this picture book biography. Marshall highlights not only Potter's career as a children's book illustrator and author but also her role as a trailblazing businesswoman, amateur scientist, and conservationist. In a time when women were not encouraged to have lives outside of the home, let alone run businesses, Potter paid to have the first copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit published. She then merchandised her books through tea sets, games, and toys. Her ambitions didn't stop with children's books. Potter researched and illustrated an academic paper on how mushrooms reproduce and submitted it to scientists, only to have her work dismissed because she was a woman. Perhaps most remarkably, Potter was an ardent conservationist and purchased and then donated thousands of acres of farmland in England's Lake District to the National Trust. Urbinati's art provides a pleasant backdrop to the story line. End pages incorporate sketches of some of Potter's beloved characters. Source material and an author's note about Marshall's inspiration for the book are included in the back matter. VERDICT A worthwhile addition to most collections, particularly those needing more biographies of innovative women. Empowering and fresh. --Jennifer Knight, North Olympic Library System, Port Angeles, WA

The life of the British picture-book author and illustrator makes a serendipitous subject for an engaging and attractive picture book. Growing up in an upper-class family in Victorian London, Potter was an observant and talented artist from a young age. When on vacation in the English countryside, she reveled in the freedom to enjoy animals and nature. Urbinati's able, Potter-inspired pen-and-watercolor spreads and vignettes show the development of the author's work through landscapes and facsimile pages of her books. Marshall's clear, engaging text relates how Potter was interested in mycology, but her ideas were rejected by the male scientific establishment, so she pursued book illustration. Initially finding no interest for her children's book among publishers, she self-published The Tale of Peter Rabbit. When that sold, a publisher became interested, and she wrote and published all the small-format children's books for which she is well known today. Potter took the precaution of copyrighting her character so that her creations would be protected. Realizing the countryside she loved was under threat from urbanization, she used her wealth to acquire several farms and saved much of the English Lake District through her land purchases, more than 4,000 acres of which she donated to the National Trust.A well-told tale that makes the life story of the renowned author accessible to children. (author's note, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.