“Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit who was made almost entirely of china. He had china arms and china legs, china paws and a china head, a china torso and a china nose. His arms and legs were jointed and joined by wire so that his china elbows and china knees bent, giving him much freedom of movement.” 

This is the opening of the novel and describes Edward’s physical characteristics. Although he is a toy rabbit made of china, unable to move or speak, he has a consciousness. He is unable to interact with the world around him, but he has thoughts and makes judgements about the people and places he encounters. DiCamillo is introducing Edward as an anthropomorphic character.

“Edward’s mistress was a ten-year-old, dark-haired girl named Abilene Tulane, who thought almost as highly of Edward as Edward thought of himself.” 

This moment describes the relationship dynamic between Edward and his first owner, Abilene. She loves him dearly, but Edward doesn’t return her love. It’s because of his inability to love Abilene that Pellegrina says she’s “disappoint[ed]” (33) in him.

“Only Abilene’s grandmother spoke to him as Abilene did, as one equal to another. Pellegrina was very old. She had a large, sharp nose and bright, black eyes that shone like dark stars. It was Pellegrina who was responsible for Edward’s existence. It was she who had commissioned his making, she had ordered his silk suits and his pocket watch, his jaunty hats and his bendable ears, his fine leather shoes and his jointed arms and legs, all from a master craftsman in her native France. It was Pellegrina who had given him as a gift to Abilene on her seventh birthday.” 

This quote is one of the only descriptions of Pellegrina and reveals that she had Edward made as a gift for Abilene. Since Edward was made specifically for Abilene, it disappoints Pellegrina that he doesn’t return Abilene’s affections. Although she is not described to a great length, Pellegrina is central to illustrating Edward as a sentient being, as both she and Abilene address him directly.