The Velveteen Rabbit
Read The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams in German and English, a parallel text graded reader with audio. Available in CEFR levels A2 and B1.
About this book
One Christmas a velveteen rabbit arrives in the nursery, plump and splendid for a moment, then set aside among the fancier toys that think themselves superior. What he learns comes from the Skin Horse, the oldest and shabbiest toy in the room, who explains the strange arithmetic of the place. "When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." And being loved, the Skin Horse warns, means your hair gets loved off and your joints go loose — and none of it matters, except to people who don't understand.
Available editions
Read a sample
Es war einmal ein Samtkaninchen.
Once there was a velveteen rabbit.
Am Anfang war es wirklich wunderbar.
At the beginning, he was really wonderful.
Es war dick und rund, genau wie ein Kaninchen sein sollte.
He was fat and round, just like a rabbit should be.
Sein Fell war braun und weiß, mit Flecken.
His coat was brown and white, with spots.
Es hatte echte Fäden als Schnurrhaare.
He had real thread whiskers.
Seine Ohren waren mit rosa Satin gefüttert.
His ears were lined with pink sateen.
Am Weihnachtsmorgen saß es oben auf dem Strumpf des Jungen.
On Christmas morning, he sat at the top of the Boy’s stocking.
History
- Written by Margery Williams in English
- Adapted by Line by Line Publishing in 2026