It's been 110 years since Frederick Warne published Beatrix Potter's very first book, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", and in celebration, we are delighted to be publishing special editions of her entire body of work. Unlike the traditional little white books, these editions have delightful colourful covers and specially designed endpapers. And to make them extra special, we have included a publisher's note to tell you all about the history of how each book came to be. "The Tailor of Gloucester" was first published in 1903 and tells the story of a poor tailor trying to survive in his freezing workshop over a hard winter. He has a terribly important commission to complete for the Mayor of Gloucester's wedding on Christmas Day but is ill and tired, and before long is running out of food and thread, as well as time! How will he possibly complete the beautiful coat and embroidered waistcoat? Fortunately, some very kind and very resourceful mice (who live in the dresser) set about helping the poor tailor with his work. Not only are they exceedingly helpful, but they are also, luckily, far far too clever for the tailor's sly cat, Simpkin. "The Tailor of Gloucester" is number three in Beatrix Potter's series of 23 little books.
格洛斯特有一個老裁縫，他有一個小店面在西門街，老裁縫和他的貓「阿金」住在店附近的大學巷，緊鄰學院的大門。一天，他正要為市長做件上衣和緞背心，所有的材料都準備齊全，只缺一小捆櫻桃紅的絲線，老裁縫叫阿金帶著最后的四毛錢，去幫忙買一些食物和絲線。阿金出門后，老裁縫坐在火爐邊自言自語時，忽然聽見櫥柜傳來吵鬧聲，原來有兩只老鼠被關在茶杯底，所以老裁縫就把老鼠都放走了。阿金回來后看見老鼠不見了很生氣，故意不告訴老裁縫線買了沒有，可憐的老裁縫失望極了，發著高燒在床上躺了好幾天。

阿金想吃東西，就從家里出去到處逛逛，他來到了西門街的小店，發現店里面射出了一道光，阿金偷偷由窗口向屋里張望，發現里面有一群小老鼠，一邊快樂的高聲唱歌，一邊在縫衣服，小老鼠們一直到線用光了才離開。阿金回到家里，看見可憐的老裁縫，覺得自己和那群小老鼠比起來實在很不應該，就把藏起來的絲線還給老裁縫。隔天早上，退燒的老裁縫趕緊拿著絲線跑到西門街的小店，結果，他發現工作臺上竟然擺著縫好的衣服和背心……從那天開始，老裁縫運氣變好了，大家都找他做衣服，因為從來沒人見過手工那樣出色，針路那樣精細的衣服。

碧雅翠絲到格洛斯特郡探望小姪女時，聽到了一個故事，并從中獲得靈感，創作了《格洛斯特的裁縫》。碧雅翠絲將故事背景設定在18世紀，她不僅將格洛斯特的街道畫在書里，對書中的服飾她也用心考據。她特地到維多利亞和艾柏特博物館，參考18世紀的服飾，來描繪書中市長的背心和外套。