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

Peter Rabbit was on his way back from the pond of Paddy the Beaver deep in the Green Forest. He had just seen Mr. and Mrs. Quack start toward the Big River for a brief visit before leaving on their long, difficult journey to the far-away Southland. Farewells are always rather sad, and this particular farewell had left Peter with a lump in his throat, a queer, choky feeling.

The Adventures of Buster Bear is another set of children’s stories by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. Buster Bear has many adventures and misadventures as he meets the different characters in the Green Forest near the Laughing Brook. Along the way, we learn about the habits of Buster and his friends and we learn little lessons about life such as the importance of sharing, not stealing, making friends and not sticking one's head into tin pails.

When Bobby the Coon awakens from his long winter hibernation, he finds Farmer Brown and his boy chopping down the chestnut tree that is his home. But Bobby's escape attempt results in a broken leg.

The Adventures of Peter Cottontail recounts the hijinks of one of the most endearing and beloved creatures in children's literature. Full of mischief (and then remorse), Peter has exploits that are delightfully recognizable to anyone who has children and will surely tickle yet another generation of young readers. Peter Cottontail's efforts to outwit the ever-hungry Reddy Fox lead to a number of whisker-thin escapes, and his fascination with the hibernation of some of his neighbors, such as Johnny Chuck, leads to his decision to hibernate . . . with riotous consequences.

When Jimmy Skunk curls up to take a nap in an old barrel, the imp of mischief gets the better of Peter Rabbit. Tons of trouble plague the long-eared prankster after he decides it'd be great fun to see the barrel — with Jimmy inside — roll down from its resting point high on a hill. Reddy Fox gets the blame for Jimmy's wild ride (as well as a dose of the skunk's "perfume"); Peter gets his comeuppance for playing nasty tricks; and before the day is out, Jimmy Skunk and Unc' Billy Possum go egg-hunting and wind up in a pretty pickle in Farmer Brown's henhouse.

In the early days of Boy Scouts of America, the focus was on building men from the boys. The boys learned honor, discipline, brotherhood, and the many facets of Woodcraft: the skills needed to survive and thrive in the wild. Walter Upton comes to this remote camp eager to put his "book learning" to use. He learns that, though the information in the books has some value, real learning comes from experience in the wilderness and from striving alongside his fellow Scouts.

We are brought on a couple of adventures with Walter Upton and his Boy Scout friends, this time in Winter. In The Boy Scouts in a Trappers' Camp, the boys learn a whole new set of skills and have to show their greatest level of bravery yet. This is the fourth, and final book in the Boy Scouts' adventures, and does a wonderful job of showing the value that Scouting has brought to their lives in skills they will always have, wisdom upon which they can always build, and memories that they will always cherish.

Walter Upton again sets out with a group of boys on a great adventure in the North Woods, this time on foot. They've heard of a trail that had been used in the days of the settlers, and are seeking to locate and map it all the way to Canada. Their journey will test the skills they have, as well as learn new ones as they develop from boys to men, and learn to handle situations they never considered.

Join the clever and mischievous Reddy Fox in a delightful journey through the Green Forest in Thornton W. Burgess's classic tale, The Adventures of Reddy Fox. When Reddy’s cunning tricks catch up with him, he finds himself in a series of thrilling escapades that challenge his wits and test his courage. From outsmarting foes to learning valuable lessons, Reddy’s adventures are filled with humor, excitement, and timeless wisdom.

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.

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.

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.

Thornton Waldo Burgess (January 14, 1874 – June 5, 1965) was a conservationist and author of children's stories. He loved the beauty of nature and its living creatures so much that he wrote about them for 50 years. By the time he retired, he had written more than 170 books. Many of his outdoor observations in nature were used as plots for his stories. In his first book, "Old Mother West Wind," published in 1910, the reader meets many of the characters found in later books and stories.

This is the story about Tommy and how he came to better understand the animals around him. Tommy has a favourite stone that he likes to sit upon to think about his day and ponder his troubles. He comes to name this stone the wishing-stone, as it seems to grant his impulsive wishes to become various animals that happen to cross his path while sitting there. Tommy learns first-hand about the exciting life of these animals and gains a new perspective after each exciting adventure.

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."

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.

"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.