Unit Study: Beatrix Potter Resources

So, we've been working on a Beatrix Potter Unit and I thought I'd post about the myriad of resources we've been using:

Videos:

• Beatrix Potter: A Private World from BWE Video (Yorkshire Television Classics)
• Beatrix Potter: Artist, Storyteller and Countrywoman (narrated by Lynn Redgrave) from Weston Woods (Scholastic) -- excellent overview of her life before, during and after Peter Rabbit and his friends
• The Tales of Beatrix Potter (with Dancers of the Royal Ballet) -- beautiful ballet weaves multiple stories into a single unit; lovely music!
• Miss Potter -- still haven't seen this, but as of today I'm 11th on the list for one of 55 copies from the library!
• Complete Beatrix Potter Collection (2 DVDs) -- these are amazingly well-done children's videos of the BP stories; start live-action and then go to animation.

Books for Children to read/look at:
Fiction written by Beatrix Potter

• Beatrix Potter The Complete Tales from Warne
• The Fairy Caravan by Beatrix Potter -- full-sized chapter book (her only one) that details the lives of animals in a circus; cute!

Biographies (juvenile)

• Beatrix Potter by Alexandra Wallner
• Beatrix Potter: The Story of the Creator of Peter Rabbit by Elizabeth Buchan
• Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit by Nicole Savy -- EXCELLENT biography that includes pictures of BP and her art; a small-sized book like the original books published by Warne.
• The Country Artist: A Story about Beatrix Potter by David R. Collins
• My Dear Noel: The Story of a Letter from Beatrix Potter by Jane Johnson -- wonderfully written and illustrated fictionalized account of how "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" came to be.

Just Fun Books to Look at or Do

• Beatrix Potter: A Journal from The Penguin Group -- great book packed with lots of things to open, peep into, or just marvel at; facsimiles of letters, original art work and other surprises abound
• The Ultimate Peter Rabbit: A Visual Guide to the World of Beatrix Potter, Camilla Hallinan (Dorling Kindersley) -- one of those great DK books PACKED with information and fascinating facts
• The Tale of Peter Rabbit Coloring Book from Dover Publications
• The Tale of Benjamin Bunny Coloring Book from Dover Publications
• Cut-and-Assemble: Peter Rabbit Toy Theater by Anna Pomaska -- we haven't started this yet, but it looks like it will be so much fun; it's detailed and very elegant looking.

Books for Adults or Older Children:
Her Writings

• The Journal of Beatrix Potter: from 1881 to 1897 transcribed from her code writings by Leslie Linder -- fascinating glimpse into the real BP; too bad she didn't continue to write it during her writing years or even when she bought Hill Top
• Beatrix Potter’s Letters selected by Judy Taylor

Her Life Story

• Beatrix Potter: 1866-1943 The Artist and Her World by Judy Taylor, Joyce Irene Whalley, Anne Stevenson Hobbs, Elizabeth M. Battrick
• Beatrix Potter: Artist, Storyteller and Countrywoman by Judy Taylor
• Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear -- recently written and takes into account years of scholarship on BP's life; it's a fascinating read to really understand this product of late-Victorian England.
• Tale of Beatrix Potter by Margaret Lane

Her Art and Drawings

• Art of Beatrix Potter by Anne Carroll Moore -- if you only get one book about BP's art, get this one -- it's got color plates of all her art divided into sections; a really great book for showing the breadth of Ms. Potter's talent!
• Beatrix Potter’s Art: A Selection of Paintings and Drawings, selected and introduced by Anne Stevenson Hobbs
• A Victorian Naturalist: Beatrix Potter’s Drawings from the Armitt Collection by Eileen Jay, Mary Noble, Anne Stevenson Hobbs -- second best book of her art, but only includes those pictures that are housed at the Armitt Museum.

The Lake District:

• At Home with Beatrix Potter: The Creator of Peter Rabbit by Susan Denyer -- gorgeous setting book to show the kids why BP loved the Lakes so much!

Knitting, Cooking and Fun Reads:

• The Beatrix Potter Knitting Book by Pat Menchini -- some of the designs are quite dated (very 80s), but the approach is unique and I LOVE knitting books
• The Beatrix Potter Country Cookery Book by Margaret Lane -- recipes in this OOP book are wonderfully authentic and really yummy
• The Beatrix Potter Country Cooking Book by Sara Paston-Williams
• The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert -- these stories make PERFECT read-alouds; we're in the middle of Hill Top right now and the kids are begging for more!

The Tale of Hill Top Farm
The Tale of Holly How
The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Hill
The Tale of Hawthorn House

WEBSITES:

• Ami’s Homeschool Share Unit


• The World of Peter Rabbit


• Visit Cumbria – biography and links


• Armitt Trust’s Beatrix Potter collection


• Beatrix Potter Society


• Miss Potter’s Lake District (from the movie)


• Beatrix Potter Collection at the National Trust (UK)


• The Cottage Tales (mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert, site has recipes, tea parties, etc)