Peter Rabbit and His Creator

Today I present you with what may well be the Web's most charming site, "The Official Peter Rabbit Website." Because of its many graphics, it does take some time but I think you will agree in the end that it is well worth it.

At the home page itself, the viewer is called upon to choose from among four languages (English, French, German, Japanese). Choosing English will take you to the lively site map.

At the site map, you are presented with a number of choices. The best is probably Meet the Characters. That choice in turn will present you with the option to "make friends," whereupon you will find a brief picture introduction to Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny and Jemima Puddle-Duck. You may then go to "Story Time" for an abbreviated audio clip of those three characters' stories.

The other "best" choice at the site map is the Beatrix Potter section. That area in turn is divided into a "life" portion and an "art" chapter. Here you will find the intriguing story of Potter's life and how she came almost accidentally to write her classic stories. Among others, the pages on Potter's childhood pets and her picture letters to children she knew are especially interesting.

Although these are perhaps the two best sections, the others also have their points (especially if you have time . . . or a child!). Among these are Tom Kitten's Playground (various games); the Competition Area (a brief, easy quiz); Jemima Puddle-Duck's Greeting Cards (nice but a little primitive); and Squirrel Nutkin's Film Show (Quick Time needed).

(Hint: For maximum enjoyment, go through the site once and let all the pages load. Then go through it again. The graphics will appear much more quickly the second time around.)

January 26, 2001




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