by Margery Williams (Author), Gennady Spirin (Illustrator)
A toy velveteen rabbit longs to be loved, and he begins to experience this when a boy adopts him as his favorite toy. But the rabbit wonders about "real" after meeting two rabbits with feet that pad softly on the ground and with noses that twitch. He learns that he can't jump like the other rabbits and that he smells different. It's only when a mysterious nursery fairy kisses him that the velveteen rabbit learns finally what it's like to be real--not just to the boy, but to everyone. Gennady Spirin's beguiling ink-and-watercolor illustrations bring new life to Margery Williams's classic text, invigorating it with mystery and pathos before the rabbit is transformed by the fairy's magical touch. A historical note is included.