Drawing on the V&A’s collection of Beatrix Potter’s artwork - the largest in the world - and little-seen material from international collections, this beautiful book explores Potter’s achievements as a naturalist, artist-storyteller and sheep farmer, and her legacy in the preservation of the Lake District. Potter’s work has delighted audiences for over a hundred years. A creative pioneer and determined entrepreneur, she combined scientific observation with imaginative storytelling to create some of the world’s best-loved children’s books. Packed with characters such as Jemima Puddleduck and Squirrel Nutkin, alongside exquisite botanical drawings, humorous picture letters to friends, Lake District watercolours and rarely seen photographs, this publication embeds Potter’s stories in the context of her life. It follows her journey from the confines of middle-class London to the expanse of Lake District hill farming, identifying the people and places that inspired her.