On Easter, Jet received a beautiful, time-worn copy of The Velveteen Rabbit. I’ve read this book many times—in fact, most recently when Vulture did a beautiful and deep dive into the author Margery Williams Bianco’s history of writing one of the most enduring children’s stories of all time. Yet as I read it out loud, despite knowing how it ends and the lesson of the Skin Horse, big, hot tears began to fall. I could barely make it through the early description of the little Rabbit, hopeful and new, holding his sprig of holly without weeping.
A tender story, and a tender essay. Thanks.