DIY Homeschooler

Nearly every book list geared toward homeschoolers will include Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales, or at least a story or two from the collection.

The shenanigans of Peter Rabbit and his cohorts still delight readers of all ages.  Each character is unique, with cleverly crafted traits and a very particular personality…. These characters are endearing because they are true to life.  They suffer consequences for disobedience and wrong choices.  Potter’s stories have a universal appeal, transcending time and country.

Jan Bloom, Who Should We Then Read?

As with most children’s books that have withstood the test of time, the books appeal to not only children, but adults.  As Books Children Love explains:

A lovely book to treasure and read to succeeding generations of children.  They will love Potter’s engaging tales as dearly as their grandparents and parents did — and still do!

Elizabeth Wilson, Books Children Love

Beatrix Potter’s tales began when Peter Rabbit first made his appearance in The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902, followed by 22 other tales that you will find in Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales.

Free eBooks

Each original tale is available online:

• The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902)
  “A pacy story with an engaging hero, an exciting chase and a happy ending, matched with exquisite illustrations, adds up to a children’s classic whose appeal is ageless.” (The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903) Also available in PDF.
• The Tailor of Gloucester (1903) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Benjamin Bunny (1904) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (1905) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan (1905) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (1906) Also available in PDF.
• The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit (1906)
  A personal favorite. The author was asked by a child who “had told Beatrix that Peter was too good a rabbit, and she wanted a story about a really naughty one!” Well, as the story goes: “This is a man with a gun…. The good Rabbit peeps out of its hole. And it sees the bad Rabbit tearing past — without any tail or whiskers!” Also available in PDF.
• The Story of Miss Moppet (1906)
• The Tale of Tom Kitten (1907)
  “Tom was very naughty…. And I think that some day I shall have to make another, larger, book, to tell you more about Tom Kitten!” Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (1908)
• The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or, The Roly-Poly Pudding (1908)
  Another personal favorite. “‘Anna Maria! Anna Maria!’ squeaked the rat. There was a pattering noise and an old woman rat poked her head round a rafter…. All in a minute she rushed upon Tom Kitten, and before he knew what was happening— …. ‘Anna Maria,’ said the old man rat (whose name was Samuel Whiskers),— ‘Anna Maria, make me a kitten dumpling roly-poly pudding for my dinner.’” Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (1909)
• The Tale of Ginger and Pickles (1909) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse (1910)
• The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes (1911) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Mr. Tod (1912) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Pigling Bland (1913)
• Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes (1917)
• The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse (1918) Also available in PDF.
• Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes (1922) Also available in PDF.
• The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (1930) Still under copyright in U.S. — but available to Canadian readers.

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Additional Resources

Grandpa Ken Reads Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
Watch the video.

 The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter
LibriVox recording.

Story Chart
Chart the elements of four of the stories.

Country Artist: A Story About Beatrix Potter by David Collins
Nice biography Beatrix Potter emphasizing her Victorian upbringing.

Teaching Resources
Downloadable modules originally part of the UK Early Years Curriculum.

Tales of Peter Rabbit
Unit with many resources and activities!

Peter Rabbit Coloring Pages
Very cute pages from Reading is Fundamental.

Author Notebooking Pages
Simple pages for recording information on Beatrix Potter including room for copywork, narrations, an illustration, dates of birth/death, and books by the author.