Beatrix Potter and the Unfortunate Tale of a Borrowed Guinea Pig

November 30, 2015
As this book’s foreboding title suggests, a guinea pig does not survive its encounter with the future creator of Peter Rabbit—nor do Sally the snake, an unnamed bat, and numerous snails. In her childhood, Beatrix Potter made a habit of capturing London’s wild creatures. “But the sad truth is that although Beatrix loved animals, she did not always have the best of luck with them,” sighs Hopkinson (Courage & Defiance), who shares evidence from Potter’s childhood diary and, according to an afterword, takes a few authorial liberties with actual events. Troubles arise when Beatrix borrows a pet guinea pig, drolly named Queen Elizabeth, to sketch. After Queen Elizabeth devours a fatal “repast of paper, paste, and string,” Beatrix humbly returns to its owner with “a stiff and bloated Queen Elizabeth” and a “delightful little watercolor” of the subject. Hopkinson’s jesting tone combines false grandeur with a note of regret, and Voake’s (Ginger) breezy watercolors suggest Beatrix’s combination of curiosity and nonchalance. Sensitive souls will feel for Beatrix’s victims, even as this diverting narrative sheds light on her childhood fascinations. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from November 15, 2015
Beatrix Potter was an artist and writer whose tales of the small animals she loved have entertained generations of children; here, Hopkinson and Voake offer a story of her childhood. Beatrix keeps a menagerie of unusual pets on the top floor of her London home. The rabbits are her favorites and can be seen hopping along on a leash when she goes out and about. Most of all, she loves drawing and painting the animals and keeping a journal of her adventures with them. Although she cares for all the creatures as best she can, there are, alas, a great many failures. Queen Elizabeth, a guinea pig borrowed as an artist's model, when left unattended, eats several items not meant for consumption and comes to an unfortunate end. Beatrix tries to make amends by presenting a memorial painting of the departed pet to its owner. Drawing on her subject's journals, Hopkinson addresses the "Dear Reader" directly and employs language in keeping with syntax and style found in Potter's works. Voake's softly drawn watercolors splash through the pages, exuberantly detailing all the events. Facsimile pages with black line sketches, ostensibly from Beatrix's journal, tell the fates of some of her pets. The author also informs readers of Beatrix's later fame, with the caveat that it would be wise to keep gifts from artists, "Because you just never know." A postscript in a chatty and accessible tone provides much information and copious illustrative material. The use of invented dialogue makes this problematic as straight biography, but it is nevertheless a charming, delightful homage. (author's note, photographs, notes) (Picture book. 4-9)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 1-4-Told in the form of a letter from Hopkinson to readers, this story details an incident in which Beatrix Potter borrowed a beloved guinea pig from a neighbor to use as a model for her painting. The poor creature met its unfortunate demise overnight, leaving Potter crushed and more than a little mortified. This picture book homage to the beloved children's author and illustrator emphasizes how her love of animals and painting led to the creation of her famous tales. Hopkinson calibrates her own lyrical prose to mirror Potter's whimsical style, which adds a layer of nostalgia. Voake's sweet pen and watercolor paintings also conjure the spirit of Potter yet remain wholly original. While Potter's own diaries were used as inspiration, the time line and ending were adjusted to suit this slightly fictionalized biography more effectively, which Hopkinson discusses in an appended note. (Though Potter is portrayed as a young girl here, in reality she was 26 when the event occurred.) Pair this selection with Jeanette Winter's Beatrix (Farrar, 2003) and Potter's own work to create a magical storytime or author study. VERDICT A beautiful offering for any elementary collection.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2015
Grades 1-3 Here's a cautionary tale drawn not from ancient tomes but from the pages of Beatrix Potter's journal. In a conversational tone, Hopkinson introduces readers to Beatrix as a child, along with her little brother, Bertram, and their menagerie of pets, which included rabbits, birds, snails, lizards, hedgehogs, and more. Though Beatrix loved her animals, she was not very good at taking care of them, and manyas noted in her diarymet untimely ends. Unfortunately, one such creature was Queen Elizabeth, a guinea pig borrowed from a neighbor for the girl to draw. Alas, while unattended, Queen Elizabeth feasted on Beatrix's art supplies, and that ill-chosen meal proved to be her last. Although Hopkinson's warnings about careful lending rather than pet ownership may seem odd, her true purpose is to show how this beloved author and illustrator honed her craft. Voake's loose watercolor illustrations fittingly call to mind an artist's sketchbook, and Potter's journal entries appear in italics to distinguish them from invented dialogue. An author's note offers additional information on Potter's life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)