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Nijntje #1
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Miffy and Friends are the creation of world renowned illustrator/author Dick Bruna. Mr. Bruna created Miffy in 1955 and since that time, children have read about the adorable white bunny in 40 different languages. The kid-sized format makes reading a pleasure for young readers. In this celebrated first story, Miffy arrives at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny to much fanfare.
24 pages
First published January 1, 1963
4 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Dick Bruna
721 books61 followersHendrik Magdalenus Bruna was een Nederlandse grafisch vormgever, tekenaar en schrijver van kinderboeken. Hij werd wereldberoemd met zijn kinderboekjes over nijntje.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 10, 2013
This is an extremely strange book. Maybe my Dutch is even worse than I imagine, but the story appears to be roughly the following. I translate into a more familiar idiom:
The Gospel According to Dick Bruna
1. And it came to pass in those days that there were two rabbits, and they did live in a house in Holland.
2. And the husband did water the lilies of the field, one by one; and his wife did keep of his house.
3. And the wife did cook them their food; and when of food there was none, she did to the market, there to buy more.
4. A pear did she cook for her husband, and for herself, a dish of peas.
5. And one night, while all slept, the wife awoke, for she did hear a noise in the garden.
6. And making to the casement, she opened it, and she did espy an angel who stood amidst the lilies of the field.
7. And the angel spake, saying, a daughter shall be born unto thee; and then the angel flew his way.
8. And verily, one morning, a rabbit maiden came to them. And the wife clasped her to her bosom and said, Thou shalt be named Nijntje, which in Dutch means, Small Rabbit.
9. And all the beasts of the land came to honor Nijntje; and she did look on them and give them her blessing.
10. Then did the beasts depart, and the husband did close the shutters of the casement.
11. Here endeth the Book of Nijntje.
[Are you sure this is right? - Ed]
The Gospel According to Dick Bruna
1. And it came to pass in those days that there were two rabbits, and they did live in a house in Holland.
2. And the husband did water the lilies of the field, one by one; and his wife did keep of his house.
3. And the wife did cook them their food; and when of food there was none, she did to the market, there to buy more.
4. A pear did she cook for her husband, and for herself, a dish of peas.
5. And one night, while all slept, the wife awoke, for she did hear a noise in the garden.
6. And making to the casement, she opened it, and she did espy an angel who stood amidst the lilies of the field.
7. And the angel spake, saying, a daughter shall be born unto thee; and then the angel flew his way.
8. And verily, one morning, a rabbit maiden came to them. And the wife clasped her to her bosom and said, Thou shalt be named Nijntje, which in Dutch means, Small Rabbit.
9. And all the beasts of the land came to honor Nijntje; and she did look on them and give them her blessing.
10. Then did the beasts depart, and the husband did close the shutters of the casement.
11. Here endeth the Book of Nijntje.
[Are you sure this is right? - Ed]
June 7, 2020
I haven't seen this book for many years, I bought it for my daughter on her first Christmas when she was 8 months old and she was absolutely fascinated by it. The story is a little strange rereading it now. It starts of as a simple tale of a pair of rabbits expecting a baby and then it seems to drift into the nativity story with angels and animals coming to the birth. I remember the page with the pear and the pea pods particularly transfixing my 8 month old reader. This was a lovely bedtime read and used later as a beginner reader.
September 18, 2021
Een literair meesterwerk.
Nijntje’s origin story is heel erg kort, maar meer woorden heeft het ook niet nodig. Dick Bruna is ook heel inclusief door te beduiden dat de Koe in het boek dik was. Woke king! Ik vond het een beetje vreemd dat de geboorte van Nijn werd aangekondigd door een engel, dat moet ik toegeven. Nijn is niet Jezus maar komt wel dicht in de buurt. 10/10 would read again will read again <3
Nijntje’s origin story is heel erg kort, maar meer woorden heeft het ook niet nodig. Dick Bruna is ook heel inclusief door te beduiden dat de Koe in het boek dik was. Woke king! Ik vond het een beetje vreemd dat de geboorte van Nijn werd aangekondigd door een engel, dat moet ik toegeven. Nijn is niet Jezus maar komt wel dicht in de buurt. 10/10 would read again will read again <3
July 8, 2020
Even thought Miffy is original a Dutch book and I am Dutch, I never read this book. I was surprised because I loved the drawings and the colors of the drawings. The story might be simple, but it is great for a child.
This book is in the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up challenge I am doing.
This book is in the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up challenge I am doing.
August 18, 2018
I read this book ages ago and my grandchildren loved Miffy.
September 7, 2017
As a child I had never read any of the Miffy books and I'm fairly certain that my awareness of them is only through the TV show (with that voice actor that sounds like Katey Sagal but is not Katey Sagal). I never watched the show as it was one of the ones my son had zero interest in but I've seen a minute or two here or there.
When Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit wish to have a baby their wish is granted by a cherub. They name their little baby rabbit Miffy.
So this is really one of those books that had me say, "Eh, I don't get why this is such a classic." Please don't hate me if you really love this one. I did love the artwork but there were a few things that struck me in a way that pushed me towards not liking the book.
First off these are rabbits right? Cause uh if there is one thing we are taught about rabbits is that they like to make babies...lots and lots and lots of babies. So for them to only have the one and that it requires an angel? I don't know where in there I lost my ability to suspend my disbelief but I lost it.
Secondly, the obvious gender roles from a time gone by. The idea of the woman doing all the cooking cleaning and shopping (I do see the irony here as I currently fall in that role). Also they mention Mr. Rabbit working in their garden but he only grows flowers. So that means Mrs. Rabbit has to buy vegetables when she goes shopping. Does Mr. Rabbit have a job to pay for the vegetables? Why doesn't he just grow the vegetables himself if he loves to garden?
I'm in a real debate on rating this one. I'm probably at 1 1/2 stars but do I bump it up or down? When in doubt bump it up so 2 out of 5 stars.
When Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit wish to have a baby their wish is granted by a cherub. They name their little baby rabbit Miffy.
So this is really one of those books that had me say, "Eh, I don't get why this is such a classic." Please don't hate me if you really love this one. I did love the artwork but there were a few things that struck me in a way that pushed me towards not liking the book.
First off these are rabbits right? Cause uh if there is one thing we are taught about rabbits is that they like to make babies...lots and lots and lots of babies. So for them to only have the one and that it requires an angel? I don't know where in there I lost my ability to suspend my disbelief but I lost it.
Secondly, the obvious gender roles from a time gone by. The idea of the woman doing all the cooking cleaning and shopping (I do see the irony here as I currently fall in that role). Also they mention Mr. Rabbit working in their garden but he only grows flowers. So that means Mrs. Rabbit has to buy vegetables when she goes shopping. Does Mr. Rabbit have a job to pay for the vegetables? Why doesn't he just grow the vegetables himself if he loves to garden?
I'm in a real debate on rating this one. I'm probably at 1 1/2 stars but do I bump it up or down? When in doubt bump it up so 2 out of 5 stars.
November 23, 2021
I like Miffy so much!!! :) Super Dick Bruna! And I had the pleasure to see his Atelier, which has a permanent place in the Centraal Museum (Utrecht, The Netherlands)!
August 4, 2025
I love Miffy. Can't believe she is Jesus.
April 7, 2017
Let’s play a little literary Jeopardy. I’ll give you an answer, you tell me the question. Okay, here goes. The answer is: Anne Frank and Dick Bruna. Any ideas? “Who are two people who have never been in my kitchen?” Technically true, like Cliff Clavin of Cheers was when he went on Jeopardy, but not the response I’m after. The correct question is this: “Who are the two most translated authors from the Dutch language?”
Dick Bruna and Anne Frank were of similar ages – he was born in 1927, she in 1929 – and thus both were teenagers in the Netherlands during the war. Everybody knows the story of the Franks; the Brunas also hid out, though in their case to protect Dick’s father, a publisher, from conscription into forced labour. It was during this time of hiding that Dick began to draw.
And he drew for more than 70 years. When he died in February this year at the age of 89, his works had been translated into more than 50 languages in 85 countries. His work was wide-ranging – even including a series of book covers for Georges Simenon’s Inspector Maigret novels – but his most famous creation was Miffy the rabbit.
Miffy is all about simplicity: uncomplicated lines, blocks of colour, few words. As Dick Bruna once said: “If you put very few things on a page, you leave lots of room for the imagination.”
Had Miffy been translated under her Dutch name, Nijntje, even more imagination would have been required. Like, imagining how the hell “jntj” is a pronounceable letter combination. The name was derived from the Dutch word “konijntje”, meaning “little bunny”. Fortunately she became Miffy in the translated versions.
If you thought Miffy was a Japanese creation, you’re not alone. And she does bear some striking similarities to Hello Kitty, who is indeed Japanese. But it should be noted that Hello Kitty was created nearly 20 years after Miffy. “That is a copy [of Miffy], I think,” Dick Bruna said in a 2008 interview. “I don’t like that at all. I always think, ‘No, don’t do that. Try to make something that you think of yourself’.”
In fact, such are the similarities that when Hello Kitty introduced a rabbit character named Cathy, Bruna’s representatives sued Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty, for copyright infringement. Miffy won the lawsuit, Hello Kitty appealed, and the case was eventually settled out of court. But I love the idea of two of the world’s cutesiest characters in a Grisham-esque legal showdown.
Miffy was born in 1955; that, in fact, is the original storyline. Mr Rabbit likes gardening and Mrs Rabbit cooks and cleans. She also does the shopping – peas, beans and cabbages mostly, although “once she bought a juicy pear, as a special treat”. These rabbits clearly know how to have fun, though not too much, since Mrs Rabbit wants a baby but seems not to know how to get one.
This is the word of the Dick. Amen.
Or something like that. It’s peculiarly biblical, and gives a strange new meaning to the phrase “breeding like rabbits”. Anyway, this is the genesis of a series of 32 books and a franchise that evolved into television and merchandise and Dick knows what else.
Some of the stories, particularly those written as rhymes, can be a little clunky when translated, but that is to be expected. The drawings always remain simple, though it took a deceptive amount of skill for Bruna to convey Miffy’s emotions with only two dots for eyes and an x for a mouth. The simplicity was deliberate; in creating Miffy, Bruna was targeting children, not parents.
And for that reason, in 1996 he decided to address what was often a normal childhood experience: the death of a grandparent. The cover of Dear Grandma Bunny shows Miffy in front of a gravestone, and the book deals in very straightforward terms with the death of Miffy’s grandmother – open casket and all. After Miffy’s virgin birth, death was treated more realistically.
Now, two decades later, Dick Bruna himself has died. Hendrik Magdalenus Bruna, the man behind Nijntje, or Miffy. And the man with the finest moustache in children’s literature.
https://dadreads.blogspot.com.au/2017...
Dick Bruna and Anne Frank were of similar ages – he was born in 1927, she in 1929 – and thus both were teenagers in the Netherlands during the war. Everybody knows the story of the Franks; the Brunas also hid out, though in their case to protect Dick’s father, a publisher, from conscription into forced labour. It was during this time of hiding that Dick began to draw.
And he drew for more than 70 years. When he died in February this year at the age of 89, his works had been translated into more than 50 languages in 85 countries. His work was wide-ranging – even including a series of book covers for Georges Simenon’s Inspector Maigret novels – but his most famous creation was Miffy the rabbit.
Miffy is all about simplicity: uncomplicated lines, blocks of colour, few words. As Dick Bruna once said: “If you put very few things on a page, you leave lots of room for the imagination.”
Had Miffy been translated under her Dutch name, Nijntje, even more imagination would have been required. Like, imagining how the hell “jntj” is a pronounceable letter combination. The name was derived from the Dutch word “konijntje”, meaning “little bunny”. Fortunately she became Miffy in the translated versions.
If you thought Miffy was a Japanese creation, you’re not alone. And she does bear some striking similarities to Hello Kitty, who is indeed Japanese. But it should be noted that Hello Kitty was created nearly 20 years after Miffy. “That is a copy [of Miffy], I think,” Dick Bruna said in a 2008 interview. “I don’t like that at all. I always think, ‘No, don’t do that. Try to make something that you think of yourself’.”
In fact, such are the similarities that when Hello Kitty introduced a rabbit character named Cathy, Bruna’s representatives sued Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty, for copyright infringement. Miffy won the lawsuit, Hello Kitty appealed, and the case was eventually settled out of court. But I love the idea of two of the world’s cutesiest characters in a Grisham-esque legal showdown.
Miffy was born in 1955; that, in fact, is the original storyline. Mr Rabbit likes gardening and Mrs Rabbit cooks and cleans. She also does the shopping – peas, beans and cabbages mostly, although “once she bought a juicy pear, as a special treat”. These rabbits clearly know how to have fun, though not too much, since Mrs Rabbit wants a baby but seems not to know how to get one.
One night there was a tap on the window. Mrs Rabbit peeped through the curtains. Outside stood a little cherub. “Your wish is granted,” it said. “A baby rabbit is on its way to you.” The cherub flapped its wings and flew off into the sky. The rabbits were very excited. The baby was born soon afterwards. They called her Miffy.
This is the word of the Dick. Amen.
Or something like that. It’s peculiarly biblical, and gives a strange new meaning to the phrase “breeding like rabbits”. Anyway, this is the genesis of a series of 32 books and a franchise that evolved into television and merchandise and Dick knows what else.
Some of the stories, particularly those written as rhymes, can be a little clunky when translated, but that is to be expected. The drawings always remain simple, though it took a deceptive amount of skill for Bruna to convey Miffy’s emotions with only two dots for eyes and an x for a mouth. The simplicity was deliberate; in creating Miffy, Bruna was targeting children, not parents.
And for that reason, in 1996 he decided to address what was often a normal childhood experience: the death of a grandparent. The cover of Dear Grandma Bunny shows Miffy in front of a gravestone, and the book deals in very straightforward terms with the death of Miffy’s grandmother – open casket and all. After Miffy’s virgin birth, death was treated more realistically.
Now, two decades later, Dick Bruna himself has died. Hendrik Magdalenus Bruna, the man behind Nijntje, or Miffy. And the man with the finest moustache in children’s literature.
https://dadreads.blogspot.com.au/2017...
August 25, 2010
What an odd little book! I love Bruna's illustrations, but the story.... It is about mother and father bunny, who want to start a family. An angel appears and gives them Miffy. Just one baby? Hello, these are rabbits!
August 19, 2021
10/1001 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
"They Called her Miffy."
"They Called her Miffy."
August 29, 2023
Wat is er nog beter dan Nijntje? Nijntje in het Latijn!
Nu ik het lees, is het verhaal een beetje aan de vreemde kant, maar niet onaardig. De tekeningen zijn enorm schattig.
Dit is gegarandeerd het boekje dat ik later aan mijn kinderen voorlees... in het Latijn!
Nu ik het lees, is het verhaal een beetje aan de vreemde kant, maar niet onaardig. De tekeningen zijn enorm schattig.
Dit is gegarandeerd het boekje dat ik later aan mijn kinderen voorlees... in het Latijn!
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July 22, 2022Prachtig boek met een groot vocabulair aan woorden. Er wordt mooi gerijmd met de aanwezig woorden en op deze manier word het verhaal geweldig aan elkaar vast gewoven.
September 1, 2013
Een engel vertelt mama en papa Pluis dat er een baby-konijntje onderweg is? Waarop alle dieren uit het land naar het Nijntjes-huis komen... Ik wist niet dat de eerste Nijntje zo bijbels geïnspireerd was. Nijntje = Jezus? Mja, afgezien daarvan leuk geschreven en Nijntje blijft wel schattig.
September 6, 2025
When I first read this book, I thought it was awfully old fashioned, but that makes sense when I realized that it was first published in 1963, long before I was born.
The rhyming narrative and simple, colorful illustrations make a good combination to read with children and the design may have inspired the Sanrio Hello Kitty creators.
The rhyming narrative and simple, colorful illustrations make a good combination to read with children and the design may have inspired the Sanrio Hello Kitty creators.
September 20, 2023
4.5 stars
so cute, but definitely needs to be read out aloud to have the full experience. :)
so cute, but definitely needs to be read out aloud to have the full experience. :)
May 17, 2011
Hmm, wasn't really prepared for the angel to arrive and proclaim to Miffy's parents that a baby was on the way. Not quite what I had expected. And while I realize this book is quite old, it doesn't deal very honestly with the concept of a baby entering a family. I'm not saying I want my four-year-old to hear the technical details, just not the phony "stork/angel/doctor brings the baby" routine.
November 2, 2015
A wonderful read from my childhood, one I’d certainly suggest for other youngsters. Whilst it is not my all-time favourite childhood read I can still recall all the details of this one meaning it certainly left a lasting impression upon my young mind.
And isn’t that what we want with children’s books, for them to leave a positive lasting impression?
And isn’t that what we want with children’s books, for them to leave a positive lasting impression?
December 27, 2024
3/5
This book changes my perception of the others, obviously, as it is about Miffy's birth. And I don't know anything about Dutch culture and tradition, but, from learning her beginning, Miffy is the savior of the world?? I was not expecting a divine annunciation heralding Miffy. But here it is. That is quite awesome. Unfortunate that the majority of this book isn't very good. But reading the others with a divine Miffy in mind is amazing, and useful.
This book changes my perception of the others, obviously, as it is about Miffy's birth. And I don't know anything about Dutch culture and tradition, but, from learning her beginning, Miffy is the savior of the world?? I was not expecting a divine annunciation heralding Miffy. But here it is. That is quite awesome. Unfortunate that the majority of this book isn't very good. But reading the others with a divine Miffy in mind is amazing, and useful.
March 26, 2018
3.5 Stars
Another essential part of my childhood, it's great to see its origins! And if I didn't know any better, I'd say Miffy is based on the story of the Nativity and Miffy is Jesus Christ in bunny form! The similarities are unmistakable and the farm animals are the three wise men & shepherds I imagine!
Another essential part of my childhood, it's great to see its origins! And if I didn't know any better, I'd say Miffy is based on the story of the Nativity and Miffy is Jesus Christ in bunny form! The similarities are unmistakable and the farm animals are the three wise men & shepherds I imagine!
November 22, 2025
Hmmm. Cute enough. I could see that this might be a good series to read together with a child and build memories around. It could become a family favorite of sorts. I don’t have a personal connection to the story, so I suppose I could take or leave it. There are other series that could just as well be a family favorite.
December 13, 2025
ANOTHER thoughtful gift from my Dada after his trip to the Netherlands. Only original miffster for me. Even got me another miffy for my collection which made the book even better if I’m being honest. My only issue is some of the words definitely do not rhyme HOWEVER miffy is a great dimensional character and can’t wait to read more from her. Four out of five claps from me!
August 5, 2019
Simple but beautiful. The words flow well and so it's perfect for reading aloud to little ones. This English translation really does the Dutch original justice. My children and I would definitely recommend it.
April 14, 2020
Would not use the text at all because of gender roles and just an overall strange story. But the illustrations are bold and bright and crisp and would work well in Art to develop precision and neatness in work. Could be used to teach about colour mixing/primary colours as well.
January 13, 2021
Such a cute book with a simple story. It rhymes and the illustrations are bold and simple which is great for little ones. The depiction of the angel was weird, but otherwise this little book likes quite modern.
February 11, 2018
Simple yet appealing art but a really basic story that isn't very entertaining or educational. Don't get why this got to be a classic.
February 9, 2019
This little story is a little odd I am sure for some readers. An angel tells Mr and Mrs Rabbit they are going to have a baby. Other animals come to visit. A bunny Nativity ?
December 21, 2019
Egyszerűke, kedves, aranyos. Ritkán döccen csak.
January 17, 2021
3 months old baby laughed at this book.
April 28, 2021
Love the drawings by Dick Bruna and the colors. The texts did not age equally well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews