A picture book version of the classic story of a toy rabbit who longs to become real, and the boy whose love helps him realize his dream
A stuffed toy rabbit comes to life in Margery Williams' timeless tale of the transformative power of love. Given as a Christmas gift to a young boy, the Velveteen Rabbit lives in the nursery with all of the other toys, waiting for the day when the Boy will choose him as a playmate. In time, the shy Rabbit befriends the tattered Skin Horse, the wisest resident of the nursery, who reveals the goal of all nursery toys: to be made "real" through the love of a human.
This classic tale has been charming children since its first publication in 1922.
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"I know this is a children's book, but it was free on Kindle so I downloaded it to read to my son last week. I remember reading it as a child, but forgot what a truly heartwarming and sweet story this is. I'll admit there were a few tears at the end of it. Now that I'm a mom there is something especially touching in the story of a sweet toy rabbit who just wants to be loved by the little boy and be made real."
— Tara (5 out of 5 stars)
“The beloved tale of the stuffed bunny who becomes real.”
— Publishers Weekly“Among the many toys in the nursery, a stuffed, velveteen rabbit becomes the favorite and well-loved companion of a little boy who receives it in his Christmas stocking… In this timeless classic story, the velveteen rabbit learns the true meaning of what it is to be real.”
— Children’s Literature“Though the fanciful story…continues to resonate in recounting that ever-occurring incidence of a child's beloved toy that is finally abandoned.”
— School Library Journal“Williams’ 1922 classic remains a read-aloud standard thanks to the way big themes of life, death, and change weave through its seemingly small and largely familiar domestic events.”
— Kirkus Reviews" While I recognize that this is a great book, it totally traumatized me as a kid! Every time I got sick, I was terrified that someone was going to throw all my stuffed animals away. That's the one part that I remember the most about the whole story. Not the adventure of the Velveteen Rabbit, but the fact that he was a beloved stuffed animal that was taken away from a sick child. Traumatizing! LOL. "
— Nikki, 2/17/2014" Great story for children and adults. Love makes you real! "
— Shawna, 2/14/2014" One of my all time favorite books!! "
— Libby, 2/13/2014" No doubt I'm lacking something that makes me a true human, but I'm not keen on the stories about children's toys having feelings and getting them hurt when kids stop playing with them. Do we need kids to be so empathetic that they treasure every stupid piece of fast food flotsam they drag in the door? Burn the dingy bunny, see if I care. "
— Kaethe, 2/12/2014" I read this book a long time ago when i was like 5 years old! "
— Schylar, 2/6/2014" A must have book. A classic. "
— Jo, 2/5/2014" If there's one book that stands out above all the others from my childhood, it would be this one. This book just fills me with sentimental and warm feelings whenever I think about it. "
— Ethan, 2/1/2014" With all the warmth and magic of the original, this specially abridged adaptation tells the classic story of a toy rabbit's longing to become real. I like this story because it bring a sense of imagination to the reader to be able to predict what happens next. "
— Ahmad, 1/31/2014" Love to read this at bed time. "
— Francesca, 1/28/2014" This was one of my favorite books as a child. I recently read it, and it's still one of my absolute favorite stories, even as an adult. "
— Sarah, 1/27/2014" This was my favorite book as a child! "
— Zoey, 1/24/2014" This story is about a little boy who gets sick, and his stuffed rabbit who wants to become real. The docter comes and says that all of the boy's toys have to be burned. Right before the velveteen rabbit gets destroyed the magic fairy comes to turn him real. Once he turns real he hops and plays happily with the other real rabbits. "
— Luci, 1/24/2014" An adorable story and a childhood favourite. "
— Julia, 1/22/2014" Will never read this book again because I cried so much "
— Ali, 1/21/2014" This book has sentimental value for me. My English teacher my senior year gave this to me as a graduation gift. She was my favorite teacher in highschool! "
— Joy.322, 1/20/2014" my favorite book as a child "
— Dan, 1/18/2014" oh to be real <3 "
— Johnnie-lynn, 1/13/2014" This was one of my absolute favorites as a child. I haven't read it to my students yet, but definitely will. It is a great story about the love a boy has for his stuffed rabbit. "
— Emily, 1/12/2014" Oddly enough, just read this recently (Christmas 2011). Loved it. Sad, for sure, but ultimately, a happy ending. "
— Teresa, 1/5/2014" The Velveteen Rabbit has always had a soft spot for me, it kept my imagination flowing that maybe my stuffed animals when I was little would come to life and play with me. It's triggered to little kids, why look at it in such an adult view? "
— Ryanne, 1/2/2014" This book has sentimental value for me. My English teacher my senior year gave this to me as a graduation gift. She was my favorite teacher in highschool! "
— Joy.322, 12/31/2013" Read again for next bookclub. :) "
— Jenn, 12/13/2013" One of my Favorite Children's books! "
— Kasey, 12/8/2013" Love is grand. It is amazing how love can change and redeem. "
— Kendra, 11/13/2013" This book reminds me of my young son and his favorite stuffed toy. To him, the toy is "real" and it goes everywhere he goes. This is a very heartwarming tale. "
— Stacy, 11/13/2013" Always, and will forever, make me cry. "
— Jasmine, 11/7/2013" Perhaps it's just nostalgia, but to this day this book makes me cry. I grew up with the version illustrated by Graham Percy, but couldn't find it on here :) "
— Glitter, 10/28/2013" MY favorite when I was a child. "
— Melanie, 10/28/2013" Love this story! I think it would just be a great book to teach your students how they need to pay attention to context-clues while reading the story to build comprehension. I would recommend this story for K-3rd grade. "
— Melinda, 10/19/2013" Such a beautiful and heartfelt story! This is a classic I'll read again and again. It forever has a place in my heart. <3 "
— Camille, 10/10/2013" One of the best children's books. "
— Connie, 10/7/2013" Nice, short, sweet. Just as all tales and tails are supposed to be. "
— Liz, 10/6/2013" It wasn't my most favorite version of the tale, but it was decent, and I didn't care for the illistrations at all. "
— Rivkah., 8/25/2013" I love this book. My grandma read it to me. It is so heart touching. My favorite part would have to be when she kept the rabbit when everyone wanted to get rid of the rabbit. "
— 10-11, 6/11/2013" Michael loves the idea that one's favorite stuffed animal could be real because that's how he feels about Moose, who still makes it into the bed each night. Visions of Linus? Yes. Worried? Not yet. "
— Kathleen, 6/6/2013" To say this was a childhood favorite is an understatement. "
— Molly, 6/1/2013" I loved this book when I was little. One year for Easter I think, my Grandma bought me the book with a tape recording of the book. I loved listening to the tape over and over until it wasn't usable anymore. "
— Desiree, 4/24/2013" This book haunted my childhood and made quite an impression on me. "
— Gloriavirtutisumbra, 4/15/2013" This was a nice little fairy tale to pass time on the train. "
— Michael, 3/31/2013" Simple things sometimes hold the most dearest place in our hearts. "
— Sharon, 3/30/2013" There is something so heartwarming and yet slightly heartbreaking about becoming Real, and it always makes me cherish this story every time I read it. "
— C-chan, 3/16/2013" My all time favorite children's book "
— Holly, 3/16/2013" What it means to be Real. "
— Tina, 1/17/2013" One of the best books ever written. "
— Kathy, 12/20/2012" I was in 1st grade the 1st time I saw the movie. Broke my heart. "
— Alicia, 11/20/2012" I think this made me cry when I was really young. I was hypersensitive even back then. "
— Colleen, 10/19/2012" broke my heart when I was little "
— Suzie, 10/15/2012" Read this one to my kids, and loved the lesson behind it. "
— Patricia, 9/7/2012" I had never read this book although I knew the story. It is simply a lovely story about a child who loves his toy to life! Who could NOT love it? It is a perfect story, for who wants to think that their favorite toy is lost or discarded? Read it for yourself, read it to your children. . .Enjoy! "
— Jean, 7/4/2012" I still can't read this one without crying, no matter how many times! One of my all-time fav. children's books. "
— Anne, 6/22/2012" One of my Favorite Children's books! "
— Kasey, 6/12/2012" I read it as a child, forgot about it, and then one day a cloudy memory of me reading it came to mind. All I remember is that I enjoyed reading. I should read it soon to refreshen my memory. "
— April, 5/20/2012" My favorite book of all time . . . .with timeless themes of love and loss. If you've never heard Meryl Streep pitch-perfect reading of this book, or seen David Jorgensen's beautiful drawings, you've never really experienced it properly. "
— Wendy, 5/12/2012" Neat book. Love the story. It was our son's favorite book when he was little -- now he's 43 with a little one of his own. We made sure she had her own copy! "
— Lela, 4/26/2012" Despite having found this incredibly depressing as a child, I quite liked it as an adult. "
— carrietracy, 3/15/2012" i'll never forget this book and the truth it imparts: it hurts to be real. "
— Amy, 2/7/2012" Such a cool wee kids story, love it "
— Jo, 11/28/2011" Has made me cry since I was a kid even have an app for it on my ipod touch. "
— Amber, 10/15/2011" One of the best books ever. "
— Karin, 6/9/2011" This book really depressed me when I read it at the age of four or five years old. It still depresses me. I don't know why. "
— Esmë, 9/8/2010" an old-school, all time favorite. "
— Chrystal, 9/7/2010" I hadn't read this book since I was young and it was still as wonderful as I remembered! "
— Kathy, 8/31/2010" Probably one of my favorite childhood books. "
— Annetabb, 7/3/2010" I read this over and over when I was a child. "
— Ruthie, 4/4/2010" loved it the pictures were great. it had love in it im happy i read this book and the author was great. "
— Callie, 2/25/2010" First read only now -- and as tender and touching as I'd always heard. Loved it. "
— Nancy, 2/21/2010" One of my all time favorite childrens books. a great reminder to think about what life is really all about. Be real! "
— Camille, 12/1/2009" The older you get the sadder it becomes "
— Naomi, 10/18/2009" I love this book, it shows that when you feel loved, it makes all the difference in the world. I still cry reading this to my daughter. "
— Krista, 9/1/2009" My favorite book as a child! "
— Susan, 7/25/2009" Another classic that belongs on every child's bookshelf, although this one is not in my top ten. "
— Maureen, 5/9/2009" Admittedly read for about the 1,000th time, but still one of my favourite children's books. "
— PastAllReason, 7/19/2008" Even if you read this as a child, go back and read it again. SO much wisdom contained in this "children's" book. I cry every time I read it. "
— Barbara, 3/20/2008" I know everybody loves this book, but I've always found it creepy. "
— Vanessa, 6/22/2007" Sweet, sweet story. Timeless, priceless wisdom! "
— Hayley, 4/22/2007" Loved this very much as a child. "
— Marc, 1/9/2007Margery Williams Bianco (1881–1944) was an English-American author of popular children’s books. She became a professional writer at the age of nineteen, but didn’t achieve lasting fame until forty-one, when she published her best-known work, The Velveteen Rabbit, in 1922.
Emily Bauer is an award-winning voice-over actress who has read for dozens of popular audiobooks for children and adults, including Margery Williams’s Velveteen Rabbit, Meg Cabot’s Insatiable, and Ann Aguirre’s Enclave. Her film credits include Mona Lisa Smile and Long Distance. She has done voice-overs for Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Pokemon and has voiced scores of TV and radio commercials as well as cartoons, talking toys, and video games.