Peter Hase & andere Märchen

I’ll admit I was skeptical about revisiting *Peter Rabbit* as an adult—the tale of a disobedient rabbit who nearly meets a dire fate had always struck me as a cautionary tale wrapped in absurd gentleness. But Ingrid Metz-Neun’s narration changed my mind entirely. She doesn’t soften the edges of Potter’s stories; instead, she leans into their quiet intensity, making the consequences feel real without losing the whimsy. Her voice for Peter is delightfully cheeky, all bouncy energy and youthful defiance, while her portrayal of Mr. McGregor is deliciously grumpy, his disapproval dripping from every syllable. The standout, though, is her rendition of *The Tailor of Gloucester*, where she adopts a breathless, almost singsong cadence for the tiny, hardworking mice, making their industriousness feel like a triumph. The production is polished but never sterile, with just enough ambient sound to set the scene without becoming distracting. That said, I did find the pacing in *The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck* a tad slow—Potter’s descriptions are rich, but some passages drag, leaving me wishing for a bit more momentum. And while Metz-Neun’s performance is excellent, I occasionally missed the kind of immersive sound design that could make the garden settings feel even more alive. Still, these are minor quibbles. By the end, I was charmed enough to revisit Potter’s world with fresh eyes—or rather, fresh ears. This audiobook is a masterclass in how to narrate children’s stories with depth and warmth, making it a must-listen for families and anyone who still believes in magic in the everyday.