The Velveteen Rabbit(orHow Toys Become Real) is a British children's book written byMargery Williams(also known as Margery Williams Bianco) and illustrated byWilliam Nicholson.It chronicles the story of astuffedrabbit's desire to become real through the love of his owner. The story was first published inHarper's Bazaarin 1921 featuring illustrations from Williams' daughterPamela Bianco.[1][2]It was published as a book in1922and has been republished many times since.[3]
 Front cover of the 1922 Heinemann edition | |
| Author | Margery Williams |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | William Nicholson |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | George H. Doran Company |
Publication date | 1922 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| ISBN | 0-380-00255-8 |
| OCLC | 3690897 |
| Text | The Velveteen RabbitatWikisource |
The Velveteen Rabbitwas Williams' first children's book.[4]It has been awarded theIRA/CBCChildren's Choice award.[5]Based on a 2007 online poll, theNational Education Associationvoted the book #28 on the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".[6]
Plot summary
editA stuffed rabbit sewn fromvelveteenis given as a Christmas present to a small boy. The boy plays with his other new presents and forgets the velveteen rabbit for a time. These presents are modern and mechanical; they snub the old-fashioned, velveteen rabbit. The wisest and oldest toy in the nursery is the Skin Horse, which was owned by the boy's uncle, and who tells the rabbit (whom he feels sorry for) about toys being made Real by the love of children: "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".[3]The rabbit is awed by this idea, but his chances of achieving this wish are slight.
One night, the boy's nanny gives the rabbit to the boy to sleep with; in place of a lost toy. The rabbit becomes the boy's favorite toy; enjoying picnics with him in the spring, and the boy regards the rabbit as Real. Time passes and the rabbit becomes older and shabbier, but remains happy. He meets some real rabbits in the summer, and they learn that the velveteen rabbit cannot hop as they do, and they say that he is not a real rabbit.
One day, the boy comes down withscarlet fever,and the rabbit sits with him as he recovers. The doctor orders that the boy should be taken to the seaside and that his room should be disinfected — all his books and toys burnt; including the velveteen rabbit. The rabbit is bundled into a sack and left out in the garden overnight, where he reflects sadly on his life with his boy. The toy rabbit cries, a real tear drops onto the ground, and a marvelous flower appears. A fairy steps out of the flower and comforts the velveteen rabbit, introducing herself as the Nursery Magic Fairy. She says that because he has become Real to the boy who truly loves him, she will take him away with her and "turn [him] into Real" to everyone.
The fairy takes the rabbit to the forest, where she meets the other rabbits and she kisses the velveteen rabbit. The velveteen rabbit changes into a real rabbit and joins the other rabbits in the forest. The next spring the rabbit returns to look at the boy, and the boy sees a resemblance to his old velveteen rabbit and enjoys seeing the rabbit out in the wild.
Adaptations
editThe following adaptations have been made ofThe Velveteen Rabbit:
- In 1973, LSB Productions made the classic, original16 mm filmversion (running time: 19 minutes). It won the Chris Plaque Award, the Silver Plaque Award, and the Golden Babe Award, and it appeared at the Columbus Film Festival, theChicago International Film Festival,and the Chicagoland Film Festival. It was a finalist at theAmerican Film Festival.This film has been on TV and has been acclaimed by parents and teachers worldwide.
- In 1976,Rankin/Basstelevision specialThe First Easter Rabbitadapted the plot of the book as first of part of its story of how a toy bunny is recruited as theEaster Bunny.
- In 1984, it was part of theEnchanted Musical Playhouseseries, whereMarie Osmondplayed the part of the Velveteen Rabbit. Songs were composed by theSherman Brothers.
- In 1985,The Velveteen Rabbitwas adapted into a video recording andsoundtrackbyRabbit Ears ProductionswithRandom House Video.It is narrated byMeryl Streep,with music byGeorge Winston.[7]It received aParents' Choice Awardfor Multimedia and was nominated for aGrammy Award.
- In 1985, two different animated adaptations were made at almost the same time:
- The first, narrated byChristopher Plummer,was produced in Canada byAtkinson Film-ArtsforCTV.This version aired in the United States onHBO.In this version, the boy is given the rabbit for his birthday instead of Christmas.
- The second was produced byHanna-BarberaAustralia and broadcast as anABC Weekend Special.[7]
- In 1987,Don Bluthworked on an adaptation ofThe Velveteen Rabbit,to have been released byNew Line Cinema,but the project was never completed. Animation stills can be found online.
- In 2003, it was adapted into a clay-animated film byXyzoo Animation.
- In 2007, a live-action short film adaptation was released by Horse Fly Studios. It was nominated for twoYoung Artist Awards.
- In 2009, Feature Films for Families, Family1 Films andBelieve Picturesreleased their live-action/animatedfeature filmcalledThe Velveteen Rabbit.The film was directed byMichael Landon Jr.and starsJane Seymour,Tom Skerritt,Ellen Burstyn,and Matthew Harbour. It is distributed byAnchor Bay Entertainment,Thomas Nelsonand Vision Films.[8]The film adaptation was illegally telemarketed to over 500,000 telephone subscribers in the United States. Verizon successfully sued Feature Films for Families for the practice.[9]
- In 2014, Cat & Hutch produced a storytelling adaptation ofThe Velveteen Rabbitat Fulham Library for Hammersmith & Fulham ArtsFest. They then went on to perform this at various schools, libraries and other venues across London. In 2021, they adapted this version into an online storytelling over Zoom for various London libraries.
- In October 2015,Atlantic Theater Companyproduced a new musical adaptation ofThe Velveteen Rabbitat The Linda Gross Theater. This production was adapted by Anya Saffir (book and lyrics) and Cormac Bluestone (book, lyrics, music).[10]
- For many yearsODC/Dancehas performed in the San Francisco Bay Area a narrated contemporary dance adaptation ofThe Velveteen Rabbitwith fanciful costumes, typically during the holiday season.[11]
- In 2023, a 40-minuteChristmas special of the same namewas produced byMagic Light Picturesand released on 22 November byApple TV+.It was written byTom Bidwelland directed by Jennifer Perrott and Rick Thiele.[12]It features Phoenix Laroche and the voices ofAlex Lawther,Helena Bonham CarterandNicola Coughlan.[13]
- The independent film production company Storybook Studio began production of a new animated film adaptation of the book, written and directed by John Patrick.[14]The film features narration by Gabi Smedra and stars child actor Hudson Edwards as the Velveteen Rabbit, Maureen Russell as the Nursery Magic Fairy, Therese Kincadeand as Nana and Paul Fowles as the Skin Horse. The film was slated to be released during the year 2022, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the original book's publication. But because of production complications, the release was pushed back to Easter of 2025.[15]
References
edit- ^Williams, Margery (June 1921)."The Velveteen Rabbit; or, How Toys Become Real".Harper's Bazar.New York. pp. 72–73, 108, 110.Retrieved12 November2022.
- ^Andrea Long Chu (8 November 2022)."The Velveteen Rabbit Was Always More Than a Children's Book".Close Reads.Vulture.Archivedfrom the original on 23 November 2022.Retrieved12 November2022.
- ^abBlair, Elizabeth (12 April 2022)."As 'The Velveteen Rabbit' turns 100, its message continues to resonate".Morning Edition.NPR.Archivedfrom the original on 27 November 2022.Retrieved13 April2022.
- ^"Margery Williams - The Velveteen Rabbit at Embracing the Child".Embracingthechild.org. Archived fromthe originalon 10 October 2004.Retrieved13 September2009.
- ^Williams, Margery."The Velveteen Rabbit, By Margery Williams, Illustrated by William Nicholson: HarperCollins Children's Books".Harpercollinschildrens.com.Retrieved13 September2009.
- ^National Education Association (2007)."Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".Archivedfrom the original on 30 July 2013.Retrieved22 August2012.
- ^abLenburg, Jeff (1999).The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons.Checkmark Books. p. 341.ISBN0-8160-3831-7.Retrieved6 June2020.
- ^"The Velveteen Rabbit".IMDB.IMDB.com.Retrieved12 February2023.
- ^Barrett, Rick (27 February 2009)."Telemarketer sued for cell-phone calls".JSOnline.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2012.Retrieved13 September2009.
- ^"Atlantic for Kids presentsThe Velveteen Rabbit:A New Musical ".Atlantic Theater Company.Archivedfrom the original on 1 October 2015.Retrieved30 September2015.
- ^"ODCThe Velveteen Rabbit".odc.dance.Archivedfrom the original on 18 May 2019.Retrieved17 May2019.
- ^Clarke, Stewart (13 December 2018)."New TV Adaptation of Kids' ClassicThe Velveteen Rabbitin the Works (Exclusive) ".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 27 November 2022.Retrieved17 November2023.
- ^Amatangelo, Amy (16 November 2023)."Apple TV+'sThe Velveteen Rabbitaims to retain the 'emotional heart' of a beloved tale ".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on 17 November 2023.Retrieved17 November2023.
- ^"Facebook".www.facebook.com.
- ^"The Velveteen Rabbit - Christmas Morning (Full Scene)".YouTube.18 March 2024.
External links
edit
- The Velveteen RabbitIllustrated by William Nicholson. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., c1922 atA Celebration of Women Writers
- The Velveteen RabbitatProject Gutenberg
- The Velveteen Rabbit(flip book with original illustrations) atInternet Archive
The Velveteen Rabbitpublic domain audiobook atLibriVox