How could I have missed this?
It is a classic novel.
It was made into a film, a musical, and a soundtrack.
It is a story that caused my heart to swell,
reminded me of the past,
gave me pause to consider the future.
It made me smile broadly.
It gave me a lump in my throat.
It caught me off guard and caused me to gasp.
Tears welled up, and then magic appeared.
How could this be considered a “Children’s Novel” when it teaches such relevant adult life lessons?
“How about this old Bunny?” she asked.
“That?” said the doctor. “Why, it’s a mass of germs! Burn it at once. What? Nonsense! Get him a new one. He mustn’t have that any more!”
And so the little Rabbit was put into a sack with the old picture-books and a lot of rubbish, and carried out to the end of the garden behind the fowl-house.
How often does this happen in real life….
to real people….
whose hearts and souls are young,
but their bodies are aged, broken, weak, and have germs….?
How could I have missed this beautiful story that was never read to me as a child and that I never read to my children?
Written almost 100 years ago, and I just bought my first copy this week…. via Amazon Prime…. for ages 3 – 7… and I am 52… and I LOVED it!
The life lessons are so deeply profound.
I so encourage you to read this… slowly – and at least twice:
Thank you, Skin Horse, for your insightful wisdom.
I will try very hard to remember this every day.
Whether you have children or not, The Velveteen Rabbit is a MUST-READ! It will be the best 10-15 minutes (depending on how long you linger over the beautiful illustrations) you’ve spent in a long time, and the best $7.49 you will spend this year.
A new, old, profound classic on our bookshelf!
It is waiting to be read to or by anyone who visits our home…. anyone who wants to know what it means to be REAL.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
P.S. I was so amazed by this story (which I discovered after a friend posted a quote on Facebook), that I had to draw a version of a stuffed bunny (a velveteen rabbit) late one night. It came freely. From a Google Search of stuffed bunnies, I saw a photo similar to this one I painted. It came quickly and easily, and I was delightfully surprised when I saw how it turn out the next morning – when the paint had dried, and my eyes were clear, and it became “Real.” And “Real can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
I can’t remember the amount of times I read this to my girls when they were little and I still have the book, thanks for the memories. 😊
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You are so welcome Jenny
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Oh Jodi! Such a touching post, thank you.
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Thank YOU Cathe
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I can still recite the lines to every one of my children’s books. It brings back memories of my daughter standing on my feet, one arm wrapped around my knees, shaking a well worn book as she cries, “Read! Read! Read!”
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What a wonderful visual for me and memory for you 🙂 ❤
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One of the pleasures of spending time with children is being able to read an re-read so many wonderful stories. Great bunny rendering too. (K)
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I so agree!!! I absolutely loved reading time with my boys when they were little and reading now to sweet little ones in the family. 🙂
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I shared this story with my children many times…..reading the book and watching the movie. Still, I don’t even think I had the perspective I do now to really understand and take this in as I did through your post. Thank you for sharing!
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What a sweet, kind compliment Torrie! You made my day. Thank YOU!
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This is beautiful. And oh, so true. Real is better than anything else. So much better. And LOVE your painting, Jodi. ❤
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Oh Laura! So nice to hear from you here! 🙂 Thanks for your sweet comment.
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Very beautiful!
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thanks Lynn!!
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your cards are always beautiful!
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Thanks Lynn 🙂
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a sweetheart of a bunny xo
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Thanks Cynthia! 🙂
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What a sweet heartfelt post. By the way, your drawing and painting of the rabbit is beautiful! I have not read this book but you have convinced me that I should.
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Oh PJ! You will LOVE it! Let me know when you do! xo
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Okay! Thanks for the information. 🙂 XOXO Hugs and Have a great day!
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Thank you Jodi, lovely post and a dear watercolor.
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thanks sweet Sharon! 🙂
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My favorite book…….I❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Your bunny
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Awh! Thanks Joyce! I can’t believe I had never read it until now! It is my new fave!!
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JODI…perhaps the VELVETEEN RABBIT would be a good read for the book club! What do you think? Lois
P.S. IT WOULD BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT!
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It would be an awesome discussion! Thanks Lois! Hugs!
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Love that story. I will definitely need to read it again. Thanks for the reminder.
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Love your painting of it! My 8th grade teacher read it to us in class and I bawled my eyes out. So embarrassing. In fact, it makes me cry so much that I just handed the book to me kids and told them to read it themselves because I would be too choked up to. 😳
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Never read this but the quote says so much. Good thoughts for a guy turning 55 next month.
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Do we both have birthdays in December? I’m 12/31. You?
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12/21 here. 🙂
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Wow – so close! 🙂
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I bet people have asked you if you feel ripped off having a birthday so close to Christmas – not me!
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Yep. 😉
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Thank you for sharing this story today, Jodi! ❤️ I love this book. You prompted me to look for my copy of it and read it again. I like your painting of your bunny too! 💖🎨🐇
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It is such a special book. I’m so glad I have it now. Did you enjoy reading it again? Hugs!
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Yes, I’ve read it a few times! Also love The Little Prince! Another worthwhile read & purchase. Hugs back, Jodi! 💖💞💖
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Actually, I remembered that I have the story on CD narrated by Meryl Streep. It took me awhile to find. 😉 While I was searching for it, I came across a book I had forgotten about titled, “The Velveteen Woman” – Becoming real through God’s Transforming Love by Brenda Waggoner. Because of you, Jodi, I rediscovered this wonderful book. Thank you so much! ❤️💜💚
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Jodi, love your painted version of the Velveteen Rabbit. Well worn & loved. I’ve had the book and a Velveteen Rabbit since the 80s. How wonderful to know you now have this wonderful book in your bookcase & story in your memory. Chryssa
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Thanks Chryssa! This story will be in my memory for a long time!
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Oops my comment went to another person. Suggested The Little Prince as another exceptional book. Life lessons for any age! Chryssa
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will check it out – another I missed 🙂
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This is a beautiful post!I have a digital copy of the book on iBooks. Your art work is stunning as usual. Thanks for reminding us all of this touching story 🙏🏻
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Thank you Frances. It certainly is touching
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“The Velveteen Rabbit” and I have a history. I, too, only discovered it as an adult since most stories from my youth were in French. I was so amazed with this story that I started giving the book and a stuffed rabbit as gifts to my girl-friends. To this day, they say that it is one of the most precious gifts they ever received. When I was decorating the spare room in our house, I added rabbits everywhere, from the quilt on the bed to a wind chime in the window and about 20 rabbits of varying sizes stacked on shelves, in baskets, on the window sill, etc. The room is known as “the bunny room”. Even my Godchildren gave me a photo album one year with the Velveteen Rabbit theme. It is a story as old as time and as precious as love. I am so glad that is has come to you, even as an older adult. Cherish it, Jodi!
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Oh Marguerite – I have already thought I want to use this as a gift book for so many. I love your comment – “it is a story as old as time and as precious as love.” I am truly cherishing! 🙂
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We loved reading this book when my boys were little…they always rooted for the Velveteen Rabbit! 🙂
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Awh! Yay! Your boys must be amazingly sweet souls!
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God love them…they are! 🙂
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Beautiful!! Love this!! And I love that story! ❤️😃 I think all the best kids books have wonderful adult lessons. Gets the parents to read them, and the kids to be reminded of what they likely already know. 😉
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I don’t know how I missed this amazing story all these years, but I guess it came to me just when I needed and could appreciate it, because I sure do. Your comments are so point on about parents reading and kids being reminded of what they likely already know. Too bad we grow older and skeptical and lose that….
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Yeah… some days I feel like I’m think in with my kid brains still though. But it never seems to last long. Guess it’s okay. The other adults would just think I’m too weird. 😊
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🙂
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i LOVE the velveteen rabbit! You captured him perfectly.
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Thanks Gina! 🙂 He’s my new hero!
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Lovely painting, beautiful post. Am so happy you found the Velveteen Rabbit, (it always makes me cry), there are so many gems in the ‘children’s section’, this is one of my favorites. Peace and love.
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so so true! thanks Huanani! we can all learn a lot from the “Children’s section!”
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Oh SO GLAD you FOUND this precious story!! Yes, how could you have missed it!! This is one of my all time favorite stories!! I LOVE it !! You wrote a beautiful tribute to it! And ADORE the bunny you painted!!
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Thanks C! Did you read this to your girls? I’m so glad I discovered it!
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My favorite childhood story, lovely post & cute picture!
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Thanks Leanne! It’s my new favorite! 🙂
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A wonderful, magical book. I have a thing for rabbits in general, especially rabbit literature from “The Velveteen Rabbit” to “Watership Down”. It’s so nice that you made the discovery! Your bunny looks just like I pictured the one in the book.
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I was so blown away by this beautiful story. It is truly a gem!
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An all-time favorite and my daughter loved it too.
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YAY! So glad I read it.
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The best children’s books speak to people of all ages, and The Velveteen Rabbit is one of the best! I’m so glad you found it, and connected with it so deeply. The message of the story is timeless and universal, and so very affirming as well. Thanks for reminding me!
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So true! One of our all-time favorites is not in print anymore – but I wonder if you’ve heard of it. Bob & Jack – A boy and his Yak! I think you would LOVE!!!!!!!
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I’ve not heard of it, but I’ll find it, either at a used book store or on Amazon. I can’t wait to read it…thanks for the recommendation!
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I can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂 Has your package arrived yet????
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Thanks so much for sharing this, Jodi. I love books that offer beautiful, inspiring passages and it sounds like this story is chock full of inspiration. I’m putting it on the top of my “buy” list.
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Thanks for sharing, Jodi, I just bought it on Amazon. 😊
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YIPPEE! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!! 🙂
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Haven´t read it yet because Friday happened all that awful stuff and I forgot some things I wanted to do. How good to come back into here and be reminded of the nice things in life! 😊 Will read it tonight!
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Thanks Ann – you take care!
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So glad you discovered this! I have a tattered copy of this, given to me by my Grandmother, years ago. She was where all good books originated from at the beginning. Sometimes, I have thought, without her, I may have never become the avid reader I am today. I knew delicious gems existed and have always gone in search because of her. Awesome post!
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Oh Leslie! thanks for sharing! My Grandma was my greatest heroine too! 🙂
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