Summer Celebrations 2: Family Fun on Little-Known Holidays

Today we celebrate one of the greatest names in all of children’s literature — a name loved all the world over by children and adults, a name that will live on as an example of all that is good in books for kids.

That name is Potter.

No, not Harry. The other Potter. Beatrix Potter.

In all the hubbub of current book trends, it’s easy to overlook those titles that are somewhat dog-eared. We neglect those illustrations that are slightly faded. Beatrix Potter’s work, though old, is worth remembering.

You may know her from her most famous book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. As of 2001, it was still ranked second in the Publishers Weekly all-time children’s best-sellers list. In her lifetime (1866-1943), she wrote over 30 books for children, all filled with illustrations that weave together detail and whimsy, two kid-friendly ingredients. Her eye for detail is astounding. As Margaret Lane writes in The Tale of Beatrix Potter, “She drew like a naturalist — no leaf too modest, no twig too small for her attention.”

But it didn’t stop with leaves and twigs. As young children, Beatrix and her brother Bertram smuggled into the house animals enough for a small zoo: snails, mice, bats, birds, frogs, lizards, snakes, a turtle, a hedgehog and, of course, rabbits. At one time, they even kept an owl. All these creatures they drew carefully. What most captured her interest, though, was fungi.

That’s right: mushrooms. She painstakingly collected and drew them, amassing over 300 watercolors, which she hoped to have published. The publishing world, however, couldn’t accept a young girl as a scientific expert. It is a shame; the reproductions I’ve seen from that collection are stunningly beautiful and exacting.

Read more tidbits about her life.

So to celebrate Beatrix Potter’s birthday, let me suggest two activities:

1. Read one of her books. Many of them are short and small — she wanted them to fit into a child’s hand. Beatrix Potter's Nursery Rhyme Book (1984) is also a favorite of children.

2. Draw something from real life. Bring in something from your garden, or park a pet nearby. Then grab some paper, pencils or markers, and start to look closely. The ability to observe is key not only to drawing, but to being a creative person. As you talk about what you see, try to put the details down on paper. Start with bigger shapes and work toward the smaller ones. (See a demonstration I did with my daughter.)

— Bruce Van Patter

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On This Topic

• Introduction • July 1 — America's First Zoo • July 17 — "Wrong Way" Corrigan • July 22 — Spooner's Day • July 28 — Beatrix Potter's Birthday