About.com Rating

Summary

Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales is a handsome collection of the 23 tales for which author and illustrator is known.  They include such classic stories as The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny and others, like The Tale of Pigling Bland, that may be new to you. This slipcased edition would be an excellent one for reading aloud since its larger size means the illustrations are also  larger than those in the individual small picture book editions of these tales for young children.

Format and Contents

The book comes in an attractive slipcase with cover artwork decorating it. Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales The book is 400 pages long and measures about 8" w X 10" h. As the cover states, it is "The original and authorized edition," from Frederick Warne Publisher, the English company that has published Beatrix Potter's books since 1902. The 23 tales appear in the order in which they were originally published by Warne.

At the book's beginning is a one page biography of Beatrix Potter, illustrated with a photographic portrait of her. Each tale begins with an illustrated title page with the publication date on it, followed by an illustrated page, with an About This Book section, which I particularly like, since each one provides fascinating background information on the tale and its publication.

The 23 tales appear in the order in which they were originally published by Frederick Warne Publisher.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902)
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903)
The Tailor of Glouster (1903)
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny (1904)
The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904)
The Tale of Mrs, Tiggy-Winkle (1905)
The Tale of The Pie and the Patty-Pan (1905)
The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (1906)
The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit (1906)
The Story of Miss Moppet (1906)
The Tale of Tom Kitten (1907)
The Tale of Jemima- Puddle Duck (1908)
The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding (1908)
The Tale of The Flopsy Bunnies (1909)
The Tale of Ginger and Pickles (1909)
The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse (1910)
The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes (1911)
The Tale of Mr. Tod (1912)
The Tale of Pigling Bland (1913)
Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes (1917)
The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse (1918)
Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes (1922)
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson (1930)

In addition, at the end of the book, in the Other Works section, you'll find Three Little Mice, The Sly Old Cat, The Fox and The Stork and The Rabbits' Christmas Party, all of which were not published during Potter's lifetime.

Author and Illustrator Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter's tales reflect her knowledge of animals and natural science, her artistry and her ability to write stories that are both fantasies and true to life, all of which have led to their continuing popularity.  As Ruth MacDonald states in her book Beatrix Potter, "One of the reasons for this remarkable longevity is Potter's unwillingness to compromise the truth in order to shelter young readers. Though her endings are happy ones, they do not deny the existence of pain and death, and do not skirt the enmity between various animal species, or between the animals and human beings." (Source: MacDonald, Ruth K. Beatrix Potter, Twayne Publishers, 1986, page 132).

The life of Beatrix Potter is an interesting one and her legacy  is significant.  For more about her life and books, see my article 11 Facts About Beatrix Potter, the Creator of Peter Rabbit.

My Recommendation

Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales would make a wonderful gift for a family, new parents and grandparents, and children 8 and older who remain fans of Potter's tales.  Because of the book's size and weight, it would be rather difficult for younger children to handle it.  The best situation would be to have copies of the small picture book editions of your children's favorites for them to enjoy on their own and use the collection for reading aloud to your children. (Frederick Warne, Penguin Group, 2006. ISBN: 9780723258049)

Additional Recommended Story Collections for Children

There are many other excellent story collections for reading aloud.  Among those I recommend are Keats's Neighborhood: An Ezra Jack Keats Treasury, which includes The Snowy Day, for which Ezra Jack Keats won the Randolph Caldecott Medal; Norman Bridwell's Clifford Collection, which celebrates 50 years of Clifford the Big Red Dog; Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Storybook Treasury, the 50th Anniversary Edition, and Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen by the One and Only Dr. Seuss.

If you are looking for additional online information related to Beatrix Potter, her publisher, her artwork, exhibitions of her work, and Potter-related sites in the English Lake District, read my Top 10 Online Beatrix Potter Resources.