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.
Download and start listening now!
"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, 1/24/2014Margery 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.