The Velveteen Rabbit (Hardcover)

by Margery Williams (Author), William Nicholson (Illustrator), Toni Raiten-D'Antonio (Foreword) "THERE was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid..." (more)
Key Phrases: velveteen rabbit, Skin Horse

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Rabbit in the stocking isn't as expensive as the other toys: he’s covered in velveteen. On Christmas Day, the Boy enjoys his new toy but then quickly forgets and neglects him. Shunned and unsure, the Velveteen Rabbit questions his worth. Should he even becalled a real toy? An answer comes from his friend, the Skin Horse: "Real isn’t how you are made. . . .It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." The Velveteen Rabbit's journey through love and loneliness to become who he was really meant to be is a story that inspires us all on our own journey to Real.

The Velveteen Rabbit is a timeless tale of friendship, love, acceptance and honesty. When the world seems uncertain, Margery Williams's classic story reminds all of us what really matters.

The type in this edition has been reset to emphasize the poetry of the language and to bring out the depth of sentiment in the story. William Nicholson's 1922 illustrations, which have delighted generations of readers, are rendered in full-color just as they appeared in the original edition of The Velveteen Rabbit. Together words and pictures create a world so much like our own, and yet so delightfully magical.

About the Author
Margery Williams is the author of more than 30 children's books, but her best-loved work is The Velveteen Rabbit. She died in 1944.

Toni Raiten-D'Antonio is a psychotherapist and professor of clinical social work. Her first book, The Velveteen Principles, was a sleeper hit with more than 50,000 copies sold.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: HCI; illustrated edition edition (October 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757303331
• ISBN-13: 978-0757303333
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,961 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'real' children's story, January 5, 2006

By	FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

The rabbit, feeling a bit out of place and a bit unworthy, nonetheless yearned to be loved, not for what he could be or should have been, but rather for what he truly was. What child (or adult, for that matter) can't find meaning here? Children yearn for love and acceptance, and unfortunately we live in a world in which that acceptance and approval usually consists of things being bigger, stronger, better, prettier, faster, newer.

The rabbit is not the 'best' toy in the boy's collection; he's not the most expensive, the best constructed, or the most interesting. But as the wise old Skin Horse knows, it isn't in the flashy paint and moving parts that true love grows. True love makes one real, and it takes a special being and a deliberate process to become real. 'It doesn't happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.'

Being real can hurt, but the rabbit in the process of becoming real barely notices that his velveteen fur is rubbing off, his tail is coming undone, his pink nose is worn and his whiskers are gone. He knows he is loved, especially during the boy's serious illness (the story was written shortly after the great flu pandemic that claimed countless lives in the early part of the twentieth century, and other childhood illnesses were still commonplace killers even in the most technologically advanced countries, perhaps another aspect of how technology can fail to address the 'real').

The ending is poignant and significant - reality means something different for the rabbit than he anticipated, but it is a joyous happening nonetheless. The Skin Horse, the rabbit and the boy are all real, and serves as an extended parable on how right relationships can overcome much adversity.

This is one of my favourite stories of all time, and the drawings accompanying this edition are very apt and special.

Added to this edition is a foreword by Toni Raiten-D'Antonio, whose book 'The Velveteen Principles' explores the different ways in which the lessons of the book can enrich the lives of adults and children of all ages. A wonderful addition to a wonderful book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend this book!, November 29, 2007

By	Terri DuLong "Author of Spinning Forward, to ... (Cedar Key, Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've lost count of HOW many copies of this book I've bought for gifts. My own grown children had their copy when they were little. I have always resonated with the story. And I feel it pertains to adults as well as children. My grandchildren also have this book and love it.
When my girlfriend had her first grandchild, I gave it as a gift and have continued to do so for many other first time parents and grandparents.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No words can describe the heart of this story, you just have to experience it., November 15, 2007

By	Sally H Taylor - See all my reviews

This is a touching story of a little stuffed bunny that envy's the real rabbits hopping around in the garden. He complains to the wise old skin horse, and asks him what it means to be real. The wise horse replies that being capable of running and jumping doesn't necessarily make you real. He tells the bunny that there are a lot of stuffy, pretentious people who can move about freely. He says,"They look down on everyone else; they are full of modern ideas and pretend they are real."

So the inquisitive little bunny asks the horse. "Then what does it mean to be real?"
"Does it happen all at once?" The old skin horse replies no, it take a long time. By the time you are real most of your hair has fallen off. You eyes drop out, you get loose in the joints and you get very shabby, but these things don't matter at all."

"Does it hurt? asks the bunny. "Sometimes," replies the horse," But when you are real you don't mind being hurt."

The realities of true life are explained through the eyes of an old skin horse. This story will warm your heart and touch your soul!
Author/Illustrator