Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 12/01/2019 PreS-Gr 3—Beatrix Potter's extraordinary life is introduced to a new generation of readers in this picture book biography. Marshall highlights not only Potter's career as a children's book illustrator and author but also her role as a trailblazing businesswoman, amateur scientist, and conservationist. In a time when women were not encouraged to have lives outside of the home, let alone run businesses, Potter paid to have the first copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit published. She then merchandised her books through tea sets, games, and toys. Her ambitions didn't stop with children's books. Potter researched and illustrated an academic paper on how mushrooms reproduce and submitted it to scientists, only to have her work dismissed because she was a woman. Perhaps most remarkably, Potter was an ardent conservationist and purchased and then donated thousands of acres of farmland in England's Lake District to the National Trust. Urbinati's art provides a pleasant backdrop to the story line. End pages incorporate sketches of some of Potter's beloved characters. Source material and an author's note about Marshall's inspiration for the book are included in the back matter. VERDICT A worthwhile addition to most collections, particularly those needing more biographies of innovative women. Empowering and fresh. —Jennifer Knight, North Olympic Library System, Port Angeles, WA - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 12/15/2019 Perhaps Peter Rabbit needs no introduction, but even children who know Beatrix Potter’s name probably know little about her. This appealing picture book fills that gap, starting with her sheltered London childhood, glorious summers of freedom in the country, and hours spent drawing animals such as her pet rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer. As a young woman, Potter faced rejection for her scientific study of mushrooms, but she also wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit and 22 other books, which brought great acclaim. Once financially independent, she moved to a farm, married, and continued buying land to preserve the countryside she loved. Marshall simplifies Potter’s story while including details of her upbringing in the Victorian era, the creation of her books, and her significant contribution to preserving England’s Lake District. There’s something fresh and beguiling about Urbinati’s fluid illustrations. While somewhat idealized in their portrayal of Potter, they reflect the tone of the text and bring this gifted writer/illustrator and her surroundings to life on the page. Recommended for young Beatrix Potter fans. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.