Author Biography

Helen Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866 in Kensington, London, England, the first of two children in a wealthy family. Her parents were interested in art and nature and allowed the children to have numerous pets which they watched and drew. Helen was tutored by a private governess, being an eager student of literature, science, history and language. She also had private art lessons. In 1901, she wrote and illustrated "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," having it published in 1902. In 1905, she became engaged to her editor, Norman Warne, but he died of leukemia a month later. Originally, publishers refused to print this type of book, but L. Leslie Brooke, a prominent artist of children's books, insisted that Frederick Warne & Co., for whom he worked, take a chance on it. Potter ended up publishing twenty-three of her little animal books at the rate of two or three a year until poor eyesight and lack of time interfered. She also patented Peter Rabbit figurines and other merchandise that she herself created. Potter became a preservationist, using the royalties from her books to purchase acres of land to preserve the country landscape. In 1913, she married William Heelis. They never had any children, but were happily married for thirty years. She died on December 22, 1943, at the age of 77 from pneumonia, in Near Sawrey, Cumbria, England, leaving all of her land to a trust which created a national park.

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