Published by Nosy Crow, 2016.

The Velveteen Rabbit was one of my favourite books as a child and so I was delighted when I found out that Nosy Crow had re-published it. It means that a whole new generation of children will be able to enjoy its magic. The Velveteen Rabbit is the first book in Nosy Crow’s new series of classics (Peter Pan is also confirmed). It is a glorious edition – printed on munken paper with foiled cloth binding and a foiled dust jacket – making it perfect for a special gift.

The story, by Margery Williams, of a boy and his toy rabbit is almost 100 years old; it was first published in 1922. Nosy Crow have kept the original text, but the illustrations have been changed. As much as I have a soft spot for the original illustrations by William Nicholson, today they do look rather dated and might not appeal to a modern audience. Illustrator Sarah Massini has had the task of reimagining the Velveteen Rabbit and his world for this new audience and she’s done a wonderful job. There’s a warmth and a tenderness to her illustrations. There are lovely, subtle references to the 1920s setting too. Unlike the original version, this new Nosy Crow edition is fully illustrated. This includes the seven illustrations from the original book which have all been lovingly recreated. The way the pictures are used in the book is now also more in keeping with modern children’s books. In the original, the illustrations stood alone on a page or a double page whereas in the Nosy Crow version the illustrations tend to be interwoven with the text.

The Velveteen Rabbit is the story of how toys become real. It’s a timeless tale of friendship and love and that special bond between a child and their favourite toy. It is joyful, heartbreaking, wise and magical. The story is one to treasure, as is this beautiful new edition.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 5+

Thank you to Nosy Crow for sending me this book to review and to Toppsta for organising the giveaway.