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The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends facts for kids

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The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends UK DVD cover.jpg
Genre Animation
Written by Beatrix Potter, Dianne Jackson
Theme music composer Colin Towns
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 9
Production
Running time 24 minutes
Production company(s) TVC London
Frederick Warne & Co
Pony Canyon
Fuji Television
Release
Original network BBC1 (1992-96)
BBC Two (1998)
Original release 20 December 1992 (1992-12-20) – 25 December 1998 (1998-12-25)

The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends is a lovely British animated TV show. It's based on the famous stories by Beatrix Potter. In this show, you'll meet Peter Rabbit and many other animal characters who act like humans, just as Potter imagined them!

The series adapted 14 of Potter's stories into 9 special films. It first aired in the U.K. on the BBC from December 20, 1992, to December 25, 1998. In the U.S., it was shown on the Family Channel between 1992 and 1995. Some voices were changed for American audiences.

How the Show Was Made

This animated series was created by TVC London. They worked with the BBC and Japanese companies Pony Canyon Inc. and Fuji Television Network Inc.. The show was made for the publishing company Frederick Warne & Co, which owns Beatrix Potter's stories.

The first six episodes cost about $11 million to make. Dianne Jackson, who directed the famous 1982 Christmas special The Snowman, helped plan the series. She was credited as a director and writer for the first six episodes. Sadly, she passed away in late 1992.

What You'll See in Each Episode

Each episode starts with a live-action scene featuring Beatrix Potter herself. Actress Niamh Cusack plays her. You'll see Potter returning to her farmhouse in the rain. Sometimes she's coming home after painting. Other times, she's back from shopping with her dog, Kep.

She then sits down for tea with her pet rabbit, Peter. Then, she introduces the story you are about to watch. After the animated story finishes, Potter either mails a picture letter herself or asks a boy to do it.

There's one special episode called The Tailor of Gloucester. It takes place at Christmas time. This episode begins with Potter's maid, Daisy, giving mince pies to carol singers. Potter and her cat, Simpkin, listen to them. This episode ends with pictures from the story.

Some episodes combine storylines from two different books. They might be told one after the other or mixed together. The animation style of The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends looks very much like Potter's original drawings. The main theme song for the show is "Perfect Day," sung by Miriam Stockley.

Episodes

No. Title Original air date
1 "The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny" 20 December 1992 (1992-12-20)
Peter Rabbit disobeys his mother and goes into Mr. McGregor's garden. He loses his clothes while escaping! The next morning, Peter and his cousin Benjamin Bunny sneak back into the garden. They want to get Peter's clothes and some onions for Mrs. Rabbit. They hide from a cat in a basket. Benjamin's father saves them, locks the cat away, and sends Peter home.
2 "The Tale of Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck" 9 April 1993 (1993-04-09)
Tom Kitten and his sisters get dressed up for their mother's tea party. But they lose their fancy clothes while playing! Their mother, Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit, is very upset. She tells her guests that her kittens are sick. Meanwhile, Jemima Puddle-Duck tries to lay her eggs safely. She meets a tricky fox-whiskered gentleman.
3 "The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding" 29 August 1993 (1993-08-29)
On baking day, Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit locks her kittens in a cupboard. But Tom Kitten tries to hide and climbs up the chimney. Tabitha's cousin Ribby visits and helps search for Tom. Meanwhile, Tom Kitten finds himself face-to-face with an old rat named Samuel Whiskers and his wife, Anna Maria.
4 "The Tailor of Gloucester" 24 December 1993 (1993-12-24)
A tailor is making a special coat for the Mayor of Gloucester. He's almost done, but he needs some cherry-colored silk. During the night, some helpful mice finish the coat for him.
5 "The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher" 1 April 1994 (1994-04-01)
Lucie has lost another handkerchief. She searches for it and finds a tiny bucket near a waterfall. She meets Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a hedgehog who does laundry. Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle has Lucie's handkerchiefs! They deliver the clean laundry together. They also meet Mr. Jeremy Fisher, a frog who had a big adventure while fishing. He almost got eaten by a huge fish!
6 "The Tale of Pigling Bland" 27 December 1994 (1994-12-27)
Pigling Bland is sent to market, but he gets lost. He ends up at a farm where he meets a black Berkshire pig named Pig-Wig.
7 "The Tale of Two Bad Mice and Johnny Town-Mouse" 26 December 1996 (1996-12-26)
Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca are two little mice who break into a doll's house and cause a lot of mischief. Meanwhile, Timmy Willie, a mouse from the quiet countryside, is surprised by life in the town at Johnny Town-Mouse's home.
8 "The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse" 27 December 1996 (1996-12-27)
Benjamin Bunny is grown up and married to his cousin Flopsy. They have many children, called the Flopsy Bunnies. They eat lettuce from Mr. McGregor's rubbish heap and fall asleep. Mr. McGregor finds them and puts them in his sack. Benjamin and Flopsy try to save them. Mrs. Tittlemouse helps by biting through the sack, freeing the bunnies. They fill the sack with rotten vegetables instead.
9 "The Tale of Mr. Tod: The Further Adventures of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny" 25 December 1998 (1998-12-25)
Benjamin and Flopsy leave their children with Mr. Bouncer. Tommy Brock, a badger, comes looking for food. Both Mr. Bouncer and Tommy Brock dislike Mr. Tod the fox. Tommy Brock puts the Flopsy Bunnies into his sack. When Benjamin and Flopsy return, they find their children missing. Benjamin tells Peter what happened. They go to Tommy Brock's house and hear the bunnies in the oven! Mr. Tod arrives, surprised to find Tommy Brock in his bed. Peter and Benjamin rescue the Flopsy Bunnies and bring them back to Flopsy.

Meet the Voice Cast

Here are some of the actors who brought these beloved characters to life:

Special Documentaries

When the films were released on VHS tapes, they often included a short documentary at the end. These mini-documentaries shared interesting facts about Beatrix Potter and her world.

Documentary Summary VHS release
Beatrix Potter's World Learn how Beatrix Potter's stories were inspired by the world around her. The Tale of Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck
A Victorian Childhood Discover what it was like for Beatrix Potter growing up in the Victorian era. The Tailor of Gloucester
The Story Letters Find out that many of Beatrix Potter's famous stories started as letters to children. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy Winkle and Mr Jeremy Fisher
The Conservationist Besides writing books, Beatrix Potter worked to protect the land where she lived. She left her property to the National Trust. The Tale of Pigling Bland
The Legacy of Beatrix Potter Explore the many wonderful things Beatrix Potter left behind for us to enjoy. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly Poly Pudding
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