“Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned grey, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape, and he scarcely looked like a rabbit any more, except to the Boy. To him he was always beautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real shabbiness doesn’t matter.”
Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit
Life has felt hard recently
But this week I have something very special to look forward to
My sister and her husband are coming to camp in our garden for the long weekend
With their gorgeous children
My sister is one of only five people in the world I feel I can be real with
The others being my husband, my best friend, my oldest friend and my best friend from university
They are the ones that I trust with my life and I know love me prickly bits and all
This story has a very special place in my heart
It was part of our wedding and my sister bought me a gorgeous vintage edition
For my ‘something old’ on our wedding day
Our wedding day was themed around children’s books so it was perfect
As I have grown older and shabbier this book has become more poignant and significant
Baby Tilda took her cuddly bunny to heaven with her
And now Bea and Edie both have their own special rabbit toys that are much loved
I adore the Nosy Crow version of The Velveteen Rabbit
With gorgeous illustrations by Sarah Massini
It shows the love between the boy and his rabbit
And the pictures really remind me of how Bea sleeps with “Rabbity” and how she takes him everywhere
I love the picture of the rabbit in a den in the garden and the boy reading to his rabbit
Bea was breaking her heart this morning about the boy having to burn his toys and books
And his special bunny after having scarlet fever
Though we know the story so well our hearts hurt every time
And heal again as the boy returns to find a rabbit who seems familiar
In the woodland where he used to play
The children and I love comparing the older pencil line drawings
With the stunning full colour artwork by Sarah
The Nosy Crow edition is magical and has a stunning hidden cover
Underneath the dust jacket
It would make a gorgeous gift for any child who believes in magic and has a favourite toy
That they wish could become real
It is also a lovely gentle way of talking to children about love and loss
About what happens to people when they are gone from us
This is a fairytale, a magical adventure
A story of childhood wonder and an ode to much loved toys
It is a timeless classic
A book that will always have a special space on our bookshelves and in my heart