Books with author Thornton W. BURGESS (1874 - 1965)

"I never yet saw a young Fox who didn't think he knew all there is to know -- and you're just like the rest!" Old Granny Fox says this to Reddy Fox, who thinks it will be as easy as pie to steal Farmer Brown's chickens by daylight and then elude Bowser the Hound. But in this entertaining tale of the winter woods, it turns out even wise Old Granny Fox can be caught napping!

Of all the joyous sounds of all the year there is none more loved by Peter Rabbit, and the rest of us for that matter, than the soft whistle of Winsome Bluebird in the spring. The first time Peter hears it he always jumps up in the air, kicks his long heels together, and does a funny little dance of pure joy, for he knows that Winsome Bluebird is the herald of sweet Mistress Spring, and that she is not far behind him. It is the end of the shivery, sad time and the beginning of the happy, glad time, and Peter rejoices when he hears that sweet, soft voice which is sometimes so hard to locate, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere.

When little Reddy Fox gets too big for his breeches and steals a plump pet hen in broad daylight, the stage is set for an exciting tale as Farmer Brown's boy pursues Reddy with loaded gun and Bowser the Hound. Fortunately, Reddy has wise Granny Fox on his side and, with some timely help from other woodland friends, manages to avoid an unhappy ending.As this timeless fable unfolds, children will delight in Reddy's risky antics and the commotion his behavior causes among Johnny Chuck, Drummer the Woodpecker, Peter Rabbit, and the other inhabitants of the Green Forest. Thornton W. Burgess, author of Old Mother West Wind and many other children's classics, was a master at telling a good story that holds a child's attention while instilling an important lesson in the most painless and enjoyable fashion. First published in 1913, The Adventures of Reddy Fox was one of his finest efforts. In this inexpensive Dover edition, newly reset in large, easy-to-read type, it will delight children (and adults) today, just as it did their grandparents.

Naturalist and author Thornton W. Burgess uses his considerable storytelling abilities to bring to life this delightful introduction to zoology for young readers. Peter Rabbit is curious. He wants to know everything there is to know about the other animals in the forest. He pesters Old Mother Nature with so many questions that she agrees to hold a special school for all the animals so they can learn about each other. Infusing the book with his passion for conservation, Burgess has created an ideal medium to expose children to the wonder of the natural world.