The Tale of Little Pig Robinson by Beatrix Potter

First published 1930
123 pages, 8 chapters, 7 color illustrations, 26 black & white illustrations

When Susan the cat sees a pig on a ship, we find out how he got there and what happens after the ship sets sail.

The History Behind the Tale (Linder 256-258):
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson was conceived early by Beatrix Potter. A letter to her father in 1883 is the earliest beginning. The first manuscript was written in the 1890s. F. Warne & Company didn't publish Little Pig Robinson until 1930. The tale is quite a departure from her other little books. This one has chapters--8 of them to be exact. Beatrix Potter certainly made the last of her tales different.

My thoughts: Little Pig Robinson is certainly something. While I enjoyed the story, it's not quite a favorite. I much prefer Peter Rabbit and the like. The lack of color illustrations foreshadows Beatrix Potter's growing infirmity--her hands and eyes are no longer capable of such detailed, delicate work.

Favorite Illustrations: Little Pig Robinson in the market place (57, color), the wool shop (77, color), the cat on the ship (101, B&W)

I hope you've enjoyed my discussion of The Tale of Little Pig Robinson. My Beatrix Potter Reading Project is almost at an end. I have finally located a copy of Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes (1922) and will be discussing that title next week. I'm still trying to locate a copy of Ginger and Pickles (1909).