This is a particularly special book to me because it was used as the theme for my high school freshman retreat. The book's theme of "Be Real" spoke volumes to teenage girls, starting out at a new high school just trying to fit in. The story of the Velveteen Rabbit taught us that being the real you comes from having real love and real friendship.
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| At Mount St. Francis in 2013, sixteen years after becoming "Real" on Freshman Retreat! |
Here are some great quotes from The Velveteen Rabbit:
“It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.”
“Real isn't how you are made. It's a thing that happens to you. Sometimes it hurts, but when you are Real you don't mind being hurt. It doesn't happen all at once. You become. Once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand. Once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always.”
"The Rabbit sighed. He thought it would be a long time before this magic called Real happened to him. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished that he could become it without these uncomfortable things happening to him."
"'Give me my Bunny!'he said, "You mustn't say that. He isn't a toy. He's Real!' When the little Rabbit heard that, he was happy, for he knew that what the Skin Horse has said was true at last... He was real."
If your child loves Toy Story read The Velveteen Rabbit. It was making toys real long before Pixar!
Happy Reading!
Laura
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