Showing results by author "Thornton W. Burgess" in All Categories

Tuktu and her brother, Aklak, are Eskimo children who live happily with their beloved reindeer in the Northland. When Tuktu is lost in a fog, she meets Santa Claus or the Good Spirit as she knows him. This generous little girl wants to share her reindeer with the children of the world and so works to help Santa on his annual Christmas journey.

As the days grow colder, little Whitefoot the Wood Mouse decides it is time to find a warm, safe place to spend the winter. The happy little creature finds the perfect spot in Farmer Brown's barn, where he meets a friendly stranger, tumbles into a life-threatening situation, and learns the meaning of the word "trust."

There's nothing that sly troublemaker Sammy Jay likes better than stealing corn - unless it's playing tricks on the other animals in the forest. Yet Chatterer the Red Squirrel would like to keep his corn, thank you very much, and while he's at it prove he is just as smart as Sammy Jay! Thornton Burgess takes us once again into the charming world of the Green Forest and Green Meadows in this delightful story.

Old Granny Fox and grandson Reddy Fox must use all their cunning to hunt up enough food to survive the long winter. Food in the Green Meadow is scarce but Farmer Brown's hens are locked up tight and protected by Bowser the Hound, so Granny takes a conceited Reddy hunting and teaches him some surprising new tricks to lure in their dinner. Old Granny and Reddy Fox encounter danger and adventure in their quests to keep their bellies full, including a close encounter with Farmer Brown's boy, a clever plot to steal Bowser's food, and an unforeseen thief who might outsmart this sneaky pair.

Happy Jack Squirrel fills his days with fun and foolishness — even while jealously guarding his winter supply of hickory nuts from his mischief-making cousin, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, and playful Striped Chipmunk. But the bouncing, bushy-tailed creature's days of comfort and security are threatened when he wakes one morning to find his worst dream come true: Shadow the Weasel is close by, and Happy Jack finds himself running for his life, trying every trick he knows to get away from his enemy.

Thornton W. Burgess was a bird-watching, berry-picking student of nature, who took up writing children's stores including those collected in "Old Mother West Wind 'Where' Stories" (1918). He writes about talking animals, but his characters remain true to their real-life counterparts. Each story explains how Old Mother Nature gives special attention to each creature's needs -- where Grandfather Frog got his big mouth, for example, and where Mr. Quack the duck got his webbed feet.

A plump little meadow mouse is always an inviting target for hungry hunters in the Green Meadows. This certainly should give Danny Meadow Mouse enough cause for concern; but lately, he's been worrying about something else — his short tail! In fact, he wants so much to have a different tail that he almost forgets to take care of the one he has.

A wonderful book in which we meet the lucky little bunny who becomes Mrs. Peter Rabbit! This is one of many delightful animal books written by Thornton W. Burgess. I grew up reading and enjoying these tales of talking animals with fun and varied personalities. Peter Rabbit is a character loved by all, and this charming tale recounts the adventures of meeting, wooing, and marrying Mrs. Peter Rabbit.

Little Joe Otter, Mrs. Otter, and the two Otter children go on a traveling adventure where the children learn about trappers, bobcats, and the great fun of a slippery slide.

"The Adventures of Paddy Beaver" is another in the long list of children’s books by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, the industrious and clever Paddy Beaver, a newcomer to the Green Forest, has encounters with Sammy Jay, Jerry Muskrat, Ol’ Man Coyote and other inhabitants of the Green Forest. Along the way, we learn how Paddy builds his dam and his house, and how he stores his food.

"The Adventures of Reddy Fox" is another in the series of children’s stories by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this story, Reddy and Granny Fox must outsmart Farmer Brown’s Boy who is out to get Reddy for stealing his pet chicken. Along the way, Reddy encounters many of the citizens of the Green Meadows and the Green Forest and with him we learn little lessons about life such as: the perils of being a show off; the importance of using all of one’s senses; that it is a fine thing to show sympathy and kindness to others – even our enemies; and that the value of a grandmother’s wisdom is inestimable.

"You can't fool old Mother Nature. No, Sir, you can't fool old Mother Nature, and it's of no use to try." The animals of the Green Meadows and Green Forest have little adventures while Grandfather Frog tells stories to Mother West Wind's children, the Merry Little Breezes.

Spring has arrived at the Green Meadow and Johnny Chuck is strangely discontent. On a whim, he offers Jimmy Skunk his house and then wanders off. Along the way, he gets into a fight with a strange woodchuck and, after a bruising battle, chases the intruder off. At that point, Johnny is feeling rather unconquerable — that is, until Polly Chuck uses her feminine charms to capture his heart. Before long, the two are happily keeping house in a burrow in the old orchard.

This collection of ten classic rabbit tales will surely delight any “bunny” big or small. An adventure awaits you in every story written by some of the best-known children’s authors. Come along for the journey; it’s just a hop, skip and jump away!

“Listen,” whispered Jimmy Skunk to Peter Rabbit as the strange howling sound echoed through the Green Forest. But Peter was listening. He had never heard anything like it. The sound made cold chills run up and down his backbone. What could it be?

Peter Rabbit and Jimmy Skunk are two of the biggest pranksters in the Green Forest. But when Peter Rabbit plays a prank that goes awry, everyone gets a lesson in why Jimmy Skunk is better left alone! As Peter Rabbit, Reddy Fox and Unc' Billy Possum all learn, Jimmy Skunk can be a temperamental beast, and one can get into a good bit of trouble by crossing him.Children will delight in these warm, whimsical adventures that combine all the interest and excitement of a good story with gentle lessons about nature, wildlife and such virtues as courtesy, kindness, and preparedness.

Old Mister Toad is in a hurry! But why? Nobody knows, so all the animals set off looking for him and find him singing in the pond. Peter Rabbit never knew Old Mr. Toad could sing! Quickly, all the animals learn why they should heed his song, and in time, Peter Rabbit learns many, many things that he didn't know about Old Mr. Toad and his children. But Mr. Toad has things of his own to learn, too, and dangers to watch out for!

When Mr. and Mrs. Bob White come down from the Old Pasture to live beside Peter Rabbit in the Briar Patch, they attract the unwanted attention of some of the predators, like Old Reddy Fox. Through care and cunning, the Bob Whites raise their family of fifteen baby quail and prove to be very welcome neighbors indeed to Farmer Brown and his son.

Bowser the Hound isn't very clever — certainly not as clever as Old Man Coyote, who's full of tricks! There's one thing, though, that Bowser's really good at, and that's pursuing someone who'll give him a long, hard run. Actually, he'll go without eating just for the pleasure of chasing Reddy and Granny Fox or Old Man Coyote. One day, Bowser gets more than he bargained for when Old Man Coyote decides to lead him on a long chase, just for fun, and make Bowser run and run.

Blacky the Crow is a clever rascal who lives in the Green Forest and Meadow. He loves to play tricks on the other little people who are his neighbours, and is curious about Farmer Brown’s Boy. Blacky is always thinking about what is right and what is wrong, but he still gets into all kinds of mischief.