From Peter Rabbit to Mrs Tiggywinkle the Tailor of Gloucester to The Fairy Caravan the works
and characters of Beatrix Potter have bewitched children the world over for more than a century
- and have never been out of print. This lively and curious book explores Potter's works via a
series of short interlinked essays that take their starting point from twenty-six key words
and phrases from her children's books her letters journals and other writings. For students
and enthusiasts alike this engaging collection of essays offers fresh angles on familiar
Potter themes and topics (A is for Animal M is for Mycology ) whilst others will cast light
on uncharted corners of her imagination (D is for Dancing U is for Uncanny G is for Ginnet's
Circus ). Entries like F is for Fairy T is for Trees S is for Seasons and R is for Rabbit
Tobacc o look at topics related to race gender and the environment as other essays use key
words to open up discussion of Potter's legacies and impact (L is for Lake District P is for
Peter Rabbit H is for The Horn Book ) including global reception TV and film adaptations
and the development of Potter's beloved lake district as a thriving tourist destination.
Paying close attention to the texts while also considering the broader contexts at play this
book broaches questions that offer intriguing ways into the works readers feel they know so
well: how does a youthful encounter with a circus come to shape Potter's imagination? Why does
eating and food feature so extensively in her writing and how does this relate to contemporary
debates on diet and environmental crisis? Providing a close-up encounter with one of the most
celebrated children's authors this book invites new recognition of the ways in which Beatrix
Potter's writing explores ideas which remain deeply relevant today including the relationship
between humans and the natural environments they inhabit.
