The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Beatrix Potter |
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| Illustrator | Beatrix Potter |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Frederick Warne & Co. |
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Publication date
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December 1906 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Preceded by | The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher |
| Followed by | The Story of Miss Moppet |
The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit is a fun children's book. It was written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. The book first came out in December 1906. It was published by Frederick Warne & Co.
This story is about a naughty little rabbit. He gets into trouble and loses his tail and whiskers. Beatrix Potter wrote this book for very young children. It was first printed on a long strip of paper. This paper folded up like a wallet and was tied with a ribbon. Bookstores did not like this special format. So, the book was later printed as a regular small book. Even though it sold well, not many copies are still around today. This book helps introduce young readers to the world of Peter Rabbit.
What Happens in the Story?
The story begins with a naughty rabbit. He sees a good rabbit sitting on a bench. The good rabbit is eating a carrot that his mother gave him. The bad rabbit wants the carrot. He takes it from the good rabbit and scratches him. The good rabbit quickly runs away. He hides safely in a nearby hole.
Meanwhile, a hunter spots the bad rabbit on the bench. The hunter thinks the rabbit is a bird. He shoots at the bad rabbit. But when he checks, he finds only a carrot and a rabbit tail on the bench. The good rabbit then peeks out. He sees the bad rabbit running away. The bad rabbit is now missing his whiskers and his tail!
How the Book Was Made
The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit was written for Louie Warne. She was the daughter of Beatrix Potter's publisher, Harold Warne. Louie thought that Peter Rabbit was too well-behaved. She wanted a story about a truly naughty rabbit!
At that time, Beatrix Potter was trying out new ways to make books. So, A Fierce Bad Rabbit was released for Christmas in 1906. It came in a special "panorama" style. This meant it had fourteen pictures and text printed on a long strip of paper. The paper folded up like an accordion. It fit into a wallet and was tied with a ribbon.
Readers liked this unique format. However, bookstores did not. They found it hard to keep the book folded and tied. Customers would open it to look, and it was tricky to put back together.
In 1916, Beatrix Potter drew a new picture for the front of the book. A Fierce Bad Rabbit was then printed again. It was a bit smaller than the other books in the Peter Rabbit series. Today, the book is printed in the same small size as the rest of the series.
