The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit

Like my former smaller and younger self, I am still a tremendous fan of picture books that are full of whimsy, beautiful illustrations, and fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants rapscallions. Thus, also like the younger me, I still adore Beatrix Potter's tales of Peter Rabbit. You can imagine my excitement then, when a few months back, I heard that the actress Emma Thompson would be authoring a modern addition to this series entitled "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit." Now, with said addition in hand, or rather in both hands as it is far larger than the palm sized originals, I can proclaim my enthusiasm thoroughly fulfilled.

Written some 80 years after the last entry in the fantastic original series, Thompson's tale begins with a droopy eared Peter Rabbit squeezing under Mr. McGregor's garden gate to "steal a lettuce" in an attempt to cheer himself. Once in the garden, Peter's nature gets the better of him when, tempted by the smell of onions wafting out of a interesting basket, he climbs in, gobbles the "excellent sandwiches of cheese and pickle" found within and promptly falls asleep.

With the set-up now complete, the tale truly begins as the napping Peter is whisked off to Scotland where he meets a massive black rabbit in a kilt, dines on a giant Radish, and becomes involved in a Scottish game of strength involving heaving the same giant radish among other adventures. Sound like a marvelously fun caper? It is.

Yet the appeal of "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit" does not emanate simply from a fun story. While I am sure Emma Thompson's prominence was a major reason for her authorial choice, her panache, cheekiness, dry-wit, and ability to invoke a Potter-esque Victorian voice give this modern adaptation much of its life. Top that off with, yes, the further addition of Eleanor Taylor's charming illustrations and you have a divine book perfect for the young and young at heart.

All of that being said though, while "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit" is most certainly a fun and wonderful addition to the Potter canon, it's focus is indeed fun as it does stray away from the depth of lesson and reality that some of the works in the original series brought forth. However, with a final sentence that hints at the possibility of further, further adventures, this sort of depth may very well come.