Peter Rabbit is back, in a previously unpublished story by children’s author Beatrix Potter.
“The Tale of Kitty-In-Boots” was tracked down by publisher Jo Hanks after she found a reference to the manuscript in a book about the author. Potter had written to her publisher about the story of “a well-behaved prime black Kitty cat, who leads rather a double life.”
Hanks discovered manuscripts of the story in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Potter archive. The feline tale features an older version of Peter Rabbit, Potter’s best-known creation.
Penguin Random House will publish the tale this year, the 150th anniversary of Potter’s birth. Quentin Blake will provide illustrations.
Generations of children have grown up with Potter’s tales of animal characters including Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and hedgehog Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle.
“The tale really is the best of Beatrix Potter,” she told the Bookseller. “It has double identities, colourful villains and a number of favourite characters from other tales – most excitingly, Peter Rabbit makes an appearance, albeit older, slower and portlier.”
The story was written in 1914, the year World War I began and Potter’s father died.
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