Helen Beatrix Potter (British English /ˈbiː.ətrɪks/, North American English /ˈbiː.trɪks/, 28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943) was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist best known for her imaginative children's books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Potter was born into a wealthy Unitarian family.