The Velveteen Rabbit
Celebrate the Easter season withThe Velveteen Rabbit,one of the most beloved of bunnies, as he celebrates his 75th  anniversary! This special edition, complete with the original story and artwork as they appeared in 1922, remains a timeless classic in children's literature with over 1.5 million copies in print. Ever since its first publication, this wondrous tale of the velveteen rabbit has delighted readers of all ages with its story of wisdom and love. Few other children's books so beautifully capture the spiritual meaning of Easter as does this simple tale of transformation and redemption through a child's unwavering love. --ReviewGiven to a boy one Christmas, the velveteen rabbit eventually becomes his companion at play, at bedtime, and even during a serious bout of scarlet fever. After the boy recovers, the doctor orders that his bedding, books, and toys be destroyed. The little rabbit lies on a rubbish heap waiting to be burned when the nursery magic fairy comes, transforms him into a living animal, and takes him to join his new rabbit companions. First published in 1922, this poignant story has appeared in many editions, frequently with abridged texts and illustrations ranging from cute to sentimental to saccharine. This handsome picture-book edition uses the full text of the original story and illustrates it with dignity as well as sentiment. Created with ink, watercolor, and colored pencil, Spirin s accomplished artwork features softly shaded images of the boy, the rabbit, and their world. Pages of text are set off with pleasing decorative elements. Set in the 1890s, this is a polished edition of the classic story. --Booklist, May 1, 2011K-Gr 3 Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby.... Spirin s winsome portrait of the begrimed rabbit beautifully conveys the poignancy in this enduring tale of a much-loved toy. The fulsome story is handsomely assembled in a large square book with text pages framed in simple folk-art elements and occasional small rabbits. Often the text pages face a full-page watercolor view of the Boy, his Nana, the nursery, or the rabbits the one that is velveteen and those that are real. There are also several sets of facing text pages, this being more than a picture book in the traditional definition. One double-page painting displays the splendid array of nursery toys among which the small stuffed rabbit finds himself at the outset, and toward the end there s a sweeping image of the fairy as she carries him off to the woods for his final transformation. Though the fanciful story may seem wordy by today s standards, it continues to resonate in recounting that ever-occurring incidence of a child s beloved toy that is finally abandoned. Spirin s handsome rendering, with a look that is at once old-fashioned and timeless, offers reading to be savored by viewers and listeners of many ages. A tribute to Margery Williams and how she came to write the story appears at the end. --School Library Journal, May, 2011