Beatrix Potter: Newly-found story by 'Peter Rabbit' author will be released this fall

Fans of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” author Beatrix Potter have a new story by the writer to look forward to.

A piece titled “The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots” was recently unearthed by Jo Hanks, a publisher. She found three manuscripts in notebooks that were in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, as well as a sketch of the character Kitty-in-Boots.

It will be released in September by Penguin Random House and the story will include illustrations by Quentin Blake, who is most likely most recognized for his work on various Roald Dahl novels.

The story was written by Potter in 1914 and Hanks says personalities already known to readers pop up.

“The tale really is the best of Beatrix Potter,” Hanks said in a statement. “It has double identities, colorful villains and a number of favorite characters from other tales (including Mr Tod, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Ribby and Tabitha Twitchit). Most excitingly, our treasured, mischievous Peter Rabbit makes an appearance – albeit older, slower and portlier.” 

While Potter is most likely best known to modern audiences as the author of “Peter” and other various “tales” involving animals, including “The Tale of Two Bad Mice” and “The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies,” Potter was also devoted to land conservation during her life. 

She gave more than 4,000 acres and 14 farms to the National Trust in her will and the land is still taken care of by the Trust today. 

“She was a fierce campaigner on local conservation issues and passionate about preserving a way of life,” the National Trust writes of Potter. 

Meanwhile, when Deborah Taylor of Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library toured England’s Lake District as part of a class about children’s literature, she wrote, “Beatrix Potter is as much appreciated here for all her land conservation efforts as she is for her literary achievements.”