Parents' Guide to

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

By Jennifer Gennari, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Beatrix Potter's first and one of her best.

Book Beatrix Potter Picture Book 1902
The Tale of Peter Rabbit Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 7+

Based on 6 parent reviews

CrimsonClover
CrimsonClover Adult
May 12, 2021
age 3+

Beautiful Educational Story

Little hands will delight in holding the small books as you read to them. And their eyes will delight in all the beautiful water colored drawings which are quite soothing. Some stories are a little scarier than others, like the Tale of Samuel Whiskers, so there is more to process. These are warm stories. Peter is mischievous and learns about consequences. There is usually a moral.
bkrissy1
bkrissy1 Adult
July 15, 2020
age 14+

Too scary for little kids

It's way too scary for little kids. My then 3 year old hated it and asked me to stop. The chase was just too scary for him. It didn't start well either as on the first page we learn that Peter's father was "put into a pie".
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Despite his mother's warning, Peter Rabbit explores Mr. McGregor's garden. Sure enough, Mr. McGregor chases Peter with a rake. Peter loses his shoes among the potatoes and cabbage, and his jacket gets caught in a gooseberry net.

Frightened and out of breath, Peter finally sees the gate and slips back home. He is put to bed with a dose of chamomile tea while his three well-behaved sisters enjoy blackberries and milk.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This first story by Beatrix Potter is one of her best. Everyone wants to explore forbidden things, and Peter Rabbit is no different. He sneaks into the garden, and Mr. McGregor chases him until he is quite frightened. Peter Rabbit misses dessert and learns his lesson, yet the tone is not didactic, and his mother is caring.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about exploring and getting into trouble. Where can you explore safely and where do your parents say you must not go? Do you think Peter learned his lesson after he went into the garden?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate