Dear Peter Rabbit

by Alma Flor Ada

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Description

Presents letters between such fairy tale characters as Goldilocks, Baby Bear, Peter Rabbit, and the Three Pigs.

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16 reviews
Goldilocks, Peter Rabbit, Baby Bear and the Three Pigs are all sending each other letters talking about meeting each other. They talk about meeting up at Goldilocks' birthday party. They also talk about the big, bad wolves from their stories and one even has to have a new tail sewn on for being burnt while going down the chimney of the Three Pigs.

I think this is a very creative way to use fairy tale characters. It's great for young, gifted children to keep them engaged when using fairy tales in a regular classroom. A great, unique book!
Fun letters between Goldilocks, Peter Rabbit, the three pigs, and Little Red Riding Hood. The story that unfolds in the letters is exciting for readers who are familiar with all the allusions, and the full page pictures enhance the story with many more details. The letters are formatted like business letters, which could be a good way to teach letter writing.
Another children's book, actually an epistolary book (one written in letters) that's pretty funny.
Ada has taken familiar characters such as the Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Peter Rabbit, the Big Bad Wolf, and Red Riding Hood, and concocted a new story through their correspondence. Dear Peter Rabbit is the first book with Yours Truly, Goldilocks as the sequel. The letter takes up one side of the double-page spread, and Tryon's detailed, pen and ink with watercolor illustrations comprise the full page of the other side, as well as some wordless double-page spreads at the middle and end of each book.

These books, along with another in the series (With Love, Little Red Hen), would be perfect for a lesson on fractured fairy tales and/or letter-writing.
½
Too long for storytime, but maybe useful for some sort of letter writing project. Story told in letters back and forth between fictional characters.
Presents letters between such fairy tale characters a Goldilocks, Baby Bear, Peter Rabbit and the Three Pigs.
Love the twist to the 3 little pigs story. Great for children to read.
½

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Detailed illustrations enhance a series of charming and informative letters that continue the tales of such well-known literary characters as Peter Rabbit, the three pigs, Goldilocks, and the big, bad wolves. At the conclusion, all of the storybook friends gather at a birthday party. Also available in Spanish. -- Copyright © 1994 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Spanish version of show more Dear Peter Rabbit (Atheneum) will delight readers, as well-known storybook characters correspond with each other. The amusing letters include invitations to a fabulous birthday party attended by Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, and all their animal friends. Enchanting illustrations add to the charming tale. -- Copyright © 1994 The Horn Book, Inc. show less
The Horn Book, Inc
added by almaflor
From Kirkus Reviews
The events in four familiar tales are cleverly intertwined and reported in a dozen letters. ``Pig One'' invites Peter Rabbit to a housewarming, but he can't go because he's in bed sipping camomile; Baby Bear wants his new friend Goldilocks McGregor to visit; Pigs One and Two report that they're now safely with Pig Three; Peter gets an unexpected invitation from Goldilocks show more and compliments the three pigs on the wolf's-tail soup served at the housewarming they finally managed to celebrate; the wolf orders a new tail and swears off pigs and little girls. Red Riding Hood wraps up events in a letter to her grandmother, while Tryon (Albert's Alphabet, 1991, ALA Notable) visualizes them in an inviting fairy-tale world, gently recalling both Gustave Dor‚ and Beatrix Potter with entrancing, delicately colored crosshatched detail. In addition to more obvious uses, try a dramatic reading of these pleasingly childlike letters. Also available in Spanish (ISBN: 0-689-31915-0). (Picture book. 5-9) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. show less
Kirkus Review
added by AlmaFlorAda
From Booklist
Ages 3-6. Ada uses an amusing conceit to add to children's knowledge of the fairy-tale world. The text is a series of letters between such favorites as Peter Rabbit, Goldilocks, and one of the three little pigs, and there's even a hasty note from one big bad wolf to another. The letters loosely constitute a story, but it is the cozy feeling of seeing inside these characters' lives show more that is the book's real selling point. Tryon's ink-and-watercolor illustrations are a delightful complement to the letters, fresh and filled with the detail that brings a reader back for a second and third look. Especially amusing is the two-page spread featuring the letter from the three little pigs' wolf to Red Riding Hood's wolf, which reads in part: "Perhaps we would do well to change our diet. It is not a pleasant prospect, but it may be in our interests to avoid both young girls and pigs from now on." The picture shows a glum wolf having a replacement tail sewn on after the pigs have chopped off the original and used it for soup. Ilene Cooper—
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Ilene Cooper, Booklist
added by AlmaFlorAda

Author Information

Picture of author.
262+ Works 13,298 Members
Alma Flor Ada was born in 1938 in Cuba. She has authored several children's folktales including "Encaje de Piedra" which earned her the Marta Salotti Gold Medal, "The Gold Coin" which won the Christopher Award, and "Gathering the Sun" which received the Once Upon a World Award. "The Lizard and the Sun/La Lagartija y el Sol" won her a Gold Medal show more from the National Association of Parenting Publications, and she was awarded an Accolade from the American Folklore Association for "Mediopollito/Half-Chicken". Her title "Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba" won the Pura Belpre Award. In addition to writing, she is a professor at the University of San Francisco. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Alma Flor Ada is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Dear Peter Rabbit
Original title
Dear Peter Rabbit
Original publication date
1994
People/Characters
Peter Rabbit; Pig One; Goldilocks; Baby Bear; Pig Two; Big Bad Wolf (show all 9); Little Red Riding Hood; Pig Three; Fer O'Cious
Dedication
To Timothy Paul in his second month of life ---A.F.A.
Dearest Darling Hilda ---L.T.
First words
Dear Peter, Have I got new for you! You know how much I've always wanted to have my own house. Well, last week I got lucky.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)I saved you some heart-shaped cookies. I'll bring them over next time, and don't worry, I won't stray from the trail again Much, much love from your granddaughter, Little Red Riding Hood

Classifications

Genres
Children's Books, Picture Books
DDC/MDS
326Society, Government, and CulturePolitical scienceSlavery and emancipation
LCC
PZ7 .DLanguage and LiteratureFiction and juvenile belles lettresFiction and juvenile belles lettresJuvenile belles lettres
BISAC

Statistics

Members
542
Popularity
54,611
Reviews
15
Rating
(3.98)
Languages
English, Spanish
Media
Paper
ISBNs
15
ASINs
1