The Velveteen Rabbit: Or How Toys Become Real

“The Velveteen Rabbit” is a century-old story that captivates children and adults alike. Its message about becoming “real” is especially important in the age of not-so-real “Real Housewives” and superficial Instagram culture.

The main character is Rabbit, a stuffed toy made of fabric and sawdust. He feels inferior to mechanical toys such as model trains, but eventually he learns that they aren’t truly alive simply because they have motion. Rather, it takes a child’s love to make a toy “real.”

The full story takes about 30 minutes to read aloud. Here’s an abridged version told by Meryl Streep: