The Velveteen Rabbit (or How Toys Become Real) is a children's book written by Margery Williams (also known as Margery Williams Bianco) and illustrated by William Nicholson. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit and his desire to become real through the love of his owner. The book was first published in 1922 and has been republished many times since.
The Velveteen Rabbit was Williams' first children's book. It has been awarded the IRA/CBC Children's Choice award. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children."
A stuffed rabbit sewn from velveteen is given as a Christmas present to a small boy. The boy plays with his other new presents and forgets the velveteen rabbit for a time. These presents are modern and mechanical, and snub the old-fashioned velveteen rabbit. The wisest and oldest toy in the nursery, the Skin Horse, who was owned by the boy's uncle, tells the rabbit about toys magically becoming Real due to love from children. The rabbit is awed by this idea; however, his chances of achieving this wish are slight.
The Velveteen Rabbit is an album by pianist George Winston and actress Meryl Streep, released in 1984. The story, The Velveteen Rabbit is narrated by Streep accompanied by Winston's piano pieces.
All songs by George Winston
The kids were in the living room
Watching cartoons
She could hear 'em laughing from the kitchen
At that big ol' hunter runnin' round
Trying to chase that rabbit down
She just stood there washin' thinkin'
What goes around comes around
There's no doubt
We'll have to answer for the things we've done
When the tables turn and they will turn
Mark my words
It ain't gonna be fun when the rabbit gets the gun
The coffee's still sittin' in the pot
His temper's hot
And she knows he's just lookin' for a reason
As he comes stormin' down the hall
She's wishin' there was a hole to crawl
Into, but there isn't
What goes around comes around
There's no doubt
We'll have to answer for the things we've done
When the tables turn and they will turn
Mark my words
It ain't gonna be fun when the rabbit gets the gun
She stood there without a word
Thinkin' maybe i deserve
All that i've got comin' from him
But when he handed down that verdict
And the whole courtroom heard it
Even the judge himself was smiling
What goes around comes around
There's no doubt
We'll have to answer for the things we've done
When the tables turn and they will turn
Mark my words
It ain't gonna be fun when the rabbit gets the gun
When the tables turn and they will turn
Mark my words
It ain't gonna be fun when the rabbit gets the gun