Miffy

Story

Mr and Mrs Bunny finally have a little bunny of their own, Miffy, and all their friends want to say hello. But it’s so tiring to meet all these animals, thinks Miffy. What are they all doing here?

Why we chose it

One of the most iconic classic children’s characters, Miffy has now been around for over 60 years, entertaining many generations of children.

Where it came from

Miffy’s simple face –two dots for eyes and a cross for a mouth –was created by the Dutch illustrator Dick Bruna in 1955, when his small son wanted to hear stories about a rabbit they’d seen on a holiday trip. Just a simple graphic sketch, the use of primary colours, and the character took its shape!

Miffy (Nijntje “little rabbit” in Dutch) wasn’t supposed to be a girl from the beginning. It was when drawing the sixth book in 1970 that Bruna decided to give her a flowery dress.

Where it went next

The little rabbit made her way into TV shows (the first one in 1984), her own movie (2013), and fun merchandising, becoming a worldwide phenomenon worth around £150 million every year. In Japan, they love Miffy so much that in 1999 six giant rabbit-shaped tulip fields were planted! Bruna has won many prizes for his Miffy books, including the Silver Brush for Miffy in the Tent (1996) and the Silver Slate for Dear Grandma Bunny (2018).

Associated stories

The first Miffy Book came out in 1955, and was followed by over 30 stories, including Miffy in the Snow (1963), Miffy’s Birthday (1970), Miffy at School (1984), and many more!

Miffy’s adventures have been translated into 50 languages, selling over 85 million copies.