The Velveteen Rabbit

YMA recommendation

	Approved as non-violent media, with caution. Slapstick comedy; Distressing scenes
Most suitable age range: 5-7

Availability

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About the movie

Synopsis

The Velveteen Rabbit is given to a young boy as a birthday present but is soon discarded with all his other toys. The rabbit learns from the Rocking Horse that only love can make you real and he discovers this is true when the boy starts to play with him and they become inseparable.

Points to consider

Words of caution

Some slapstick comedy such as:

• the toy soldiers are always blundering and crashing into each other
• one of the soldiers is accidentally catapulted out of the window.
  

There is a scary scene in which there is an extremely loud thunderstorm and the boy is very frightened in his bed.

Some distressing scenes, such as:

• The boy gets very sick and the doctor tells his parents that all his bedding and stuffed toys must be burnt. Fortunately the Velveteen Rabbit escapes this doom.

Positive aspects

• the importance of love
• acceptance of differences.

Questions to ask

• Why did the toy soldiers think the Velveteen Rabbit was different?
• Do you think they should have laughed at him for being different?