The Velveteen Rabbit book review I expected to write was about a simple children’s classic. Instead, I found myself reflecting on one of the most powerful stories I have ever read. I can’t believe such a laconic children’s book could be so profound and impactful, concealing beautiful analogies beneath its simplicity. I wish I had read it sooner, but then again, I also wish I hadn’t, because I might not have unspooled it the way it was meant to be… gradually, like peeling back the layers of Margery Williams’ beautiful mind and extraordinary imagination.

First published in 1922, The Velveteen Rabbit is sheer gold, just as its writing aptly suggests. I couldn’t stop crying, as though a piece of me had somehow been lost in time and was now forever out of reach. While it may seem to play on a child’s fancies, it speaks even more clearly about human relationships. Loving someone, making them REAL, takes time, and it comes at a physical cost, a message so beautifully hidden within such a small yet powerful story.

The Velveteen Rabbit Book Review: Final Thoughts

I probably finished this book within 10-15 minutes, but the impact it made transcends time. I can’t help but wonder why so many stories today seem to have forgotten the art of metaphor and the poetry hidden in plain sight.

I was going to gift this to a child, and then I realised they wouldn’t appreciate it as much, as this book ends up being a worthy contender to be appended into my personal collection.

A worthwhile read for every age group, though I suspect younger readers may not empathise with it in quite the same way.

The complete book is also available to read for free on Project Gutenberg.

If you enjoy timeless stories with emotional depth, you may also like my review of Ham on Rye.