Although most people remember Beatrix Potter for the books she wrote, she was much more than a storyteller. She was a gifted scientist, farmer, and artist. We’ve compiled this diverse list of books so you and your children can study every aspect of her life. Some of the books focus on Potter’s artistic talents and some go a step further to analyze the circumstances that motivated her to blaze her own trail through life. Get ready to be inspired!
Learn about Beatrix Potter’s early interests, artistic talents, and scientific adventures in this biography from Who HQ. The book explores Potter’s scientific work with fungi, as well as her early illustrations. It tells about the success of her books and the challenges she faced. With 10 chapters, plus a timeline, the book provides a comprehensive look at Potter’s life. Children ages 8 to 12 can independently read this one, but it’s an interesting read-aloud for early elementary kids, too.
Bring home all 23 of Beatrix Potter’s “Tales” in this collector’s book. Each one is unabridged and presented with its original illustrations. To give readers even more insight into these books, they are arranged in the order in which they were written, and each one includes a preface that explains a bit about the plot and Potter’s inspiration in writing the story. Four additional works by Potter are included at the end, too. It’s a beautiful book that any child would love to have on their bookshelf.
Beatrix Potter always loved studying fungi and the natural world. This book highlights these aspects of her life and explores her conservation efforts at Hill Top Farm. There’s a biography in the beginning pages, followed by a season-by-season look at what was grown in Beatrix Potter’s gardens. There’s also a section discussing the Lake District and important places to visit. This book is quite large, 340 pages, so it’s best to study one section at a time alongside your upper elementary and middle school kids.
In this book, children are transported right into Beatrix Potter’s childhood to share her excitement for painting. They’ll see her painting her pets and painting scenes from nature. The watercolor illustrations and gentle text are the perfect way to tell the story of Potter’s early years. This book is a great choice for elementary aged kids.
As you page through this book, you can pore over more than 200 pieces of Beatrix Potter’s art. You’ll also learn more about her artistic process. The book includes a mix of well-known and rarely seen illustrations from the artist. There are a few essays and a bit of historical information included, too. It’s a good choice for upper elementary and middle school kids.
This picture book emphasizes the trailblazing nature of Beatrix Potter. During a time when women were practically forbidden from holding a job, she became a scientist, an author, an illustrator, a businesswoman, and a conservationist. The book’s beautiful illustrations capture Potter’s spirit and give us a glimpse into her world. Early elementary children will enjoy this illustrated biography.
This journal features pages and pages of reproductions from Beatrix Potter’s own journal, which she wrote in for more than 15 years during early adulthood. The book is designed with a unique scrapbook-like style. There are drawings, watercolor paintings, photographs, and snippets from her journal. A few fold-out letters and cards are included, too. Kids and adults will marvel at this personalized look at Beatrix Potter’s life.
You and your children can work toward perfecting your green thumbs with this gardening book. You’ll find useful charts, record-keeping pages, gardening tips, and planting information. Plus, it includes several naturalist sketches from Beatrix Potter. Use this book as you plant a big garden, or just a few planters, this spring.
Children who only know about Beatrix Potter as an author and illustrator will be surprised to know that there’s more to her story. She was a scientist, too! This book details her work in observing, collecting, and recording facts about mushrooms and animals. The text is straightforward and the colorful illustrations will keep kids engaged throughout the story. It’s a fantastic inspirational book for any young child!
This book pays tribute to Hill Top Farm and the picturesque land surrounding it. You’ll see photographs and watercolors by Beatrix Potter. There’s also an array of photographs of the land, the buildings, and the interiors as they look today. The text of the book describes Beatrix Potter’s life with an emphasis on her conservation efforts. Page through this one alongside your upper elementary and middle school kids.
Kids can color all of their favorite Beatrix Potter characters! The images aren’t overly detailed, making this coloring book a good choice for early elementary children. Plus, the paper is thick and will hold up to markers.
In this book, the author explores the many ways in which Beatrix Potter’s life and art intersected. For example, many of Potter’s characters were inspired by her own life and the people around her. In this book, each chapter takes its name from a quote in one of her books. It points out interesting details of Potter’s life that aren't usually mentioned in other biographies. This book is an in-depth chapter book, best suited for kids older than 12.
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