The Life of Beatrix Potter

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“’My dear Noel- I don’t know how to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sandbank…’” (Collins 35). Beatrix Potter was inspired by Noel’s joy at her story. Children’s joy is what inspired Beatrix to publish her stories for children all around. Just like many other authors, Beatrix went through rough times when she thought she could not make it. It was particularly hard for Beatrix, because she was a female, her parents did not support her, and she had many personal things happen during her career.
Helen Beatrix Potter was born to Rupert and Helen Potter on July 28, 1866 in Kensington, London. She would always go by Beatrix because her mother’s first name was also Helen. She was very fascinated with nature and drawing from the time she was born. Both of her parents were artistic. Her first governess, Miss Hammond, once said, “I think you were born with a pencil in one hand and a sketch pad in the other!” (Collins 12). Beatrix was a very happy child, considering that she had very few playmates.
Beatrix’s bedroom was located on the third floor of her family’s home in London. Beatrix had very few playmates and even her parents rarely came up to see her. Her only friends were the house servants, the animals that the butler would bring her to care for, and her younger brother, Bertram. She found comfort in drawing pictures and writing stories about her animal friends. Each time her family visited their house in the Lake District, she always brought home several more animals to care for. Whenever Bertram returned to school, Beatrix became the one to care for the animals he had brought home. Beatrix had two prize mice...

... middle of paper ...

...ember 22, 1943 at her home, Castle Cottage Farm, at the age of seventy-seven.
Today, visitors can still visit Hill Top Farm and Castle Cottage Farm. Other than upkeep, nothing has been changed at either place, allowing visitors to experience it much as it was back then. Beatrix still lives on today in the many successful stories she wrote. Peter Rabbit and his friends are still warming the hearts of children and adults today. Most of Beatrix’s stories are still very popular. Her books are still found on many bookshelves all around the world.

Works Cited
Brown, Tanya. “ Beatrix Potter.” Beatrix Potter (2005): 1-2 Book Collection Nonfiction: High
School Edition. Web. 6. Feb. 2014.
Collins, David R. The Country Artist. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1989. Print.
Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Beatrix Potter.” Oxford. www.biographyonline.net. 7 Feb.
2014.

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