A treasure trove of more than two hundred poems, this gem of an anthology compiled by Mary E Burt is indeed a most valuable set of poems to read or listen to. Published in 1904, Poems Every Child Should Know contains some well-loved verses like Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, Lewis Carroll's delightful parody Father William, Felicia Hemans' deeply-moving Casablanca and other favorites. It also has lesser-known but equally beautiful pieces like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Arrow and The Song, Robert Browning's The Incident of the French Camp, Eugene Field's nonsense lyrics Wynken, Blynken and Nod and a host of other wonderful verses...

Jack the Giant-Killer, Tom Thumb, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, Henny Penny, Dick Whittington, The Three Little Pigs, Red Riding Hood and a host of immortal characters are found in this delightful collection of English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. The book made its first appearance in 1890 and has remained a firm favorite with both young and old ever since. Fairy tales have traditionally emanated from France and Germany. The famous compilations by La Fontaine and the Brothers Grimm have overshadowed children's literature for centuries...

The Lords of the Housetops reveals the cat through the creative lenses of 13 authors. Consequently, this carefully chosen collection of stories is as complex, charismatic and clever as a cat.

Barks and Purrs is a collection of seven episodes in the lives of Toby-Dog, a French Bulldog, and Kiki-the-Demure, a Maltese cat, living in a comfortable household. The episodes cover a hot afternoon, a train ride, and what happened when dinner was late or their mistress was ill. We hear about the first fire in autumn, a heavy storm, and about a visitor in the household.Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette-Willy was throughout her life a controversial French novelist. She published around 50 novels; the best known is “Gigi”.

Zip, a little fox terrier, lives in the town of Maplewood in the house of his owner, Dr. Elsworth. Each day when Dr. Elsworth drives his carriage to visit his patients, Zip goes along with him so that he can keep the doctor company and, most importantly, visit with the other animals in the town. Zip likes to find out all the latest news so that he can tell it to his best friend, Tabby the cat, who also lives with Dr. Elsworth. However, he also finds himself getting into mischief, whether it's trying to solve a burglary, sneaking fried chicken from a picnic, getting stuck in a stovepipe or fighting with Peter-Kins the monkey. Zip is one dog who never has a dull day.

If you have read any accounts of adventure in Africa, you will know that travelers never mention animals of any kind that are gifted with the faculty of speech, or gazelles that are overseers for native princes, or hares that eat flesh. No, indeed; only the native-born know of these; and, judging by the immense and rapid strides civilization is making in those parts, it will not be long before such wonderful specimens of zoölogy will be as extinct as the ichthyosaurus, dinornis, and other poor creatures who never dreamed of the awful names that would be applied to them when they were too long dead to show their resentment...

A story which shows that strength of character, and belief in the good in everything is above all else The old fisherman had a good dog, Boley, and an evil black cat, Sershina. "Master, this cat will be our undoing! Let's drive her away! Black cat, evil cat!" yelped Boley "Don't say that! You'll see that Serzhina will change and become good!" answered the old fisherman... Excerpt: There once lived an old man on the shore of a beautiful sea. All day he wove nets and caught fish. There were so many that the old fisherman shared them with his animals...

The journal of British naturalist Bruce Frederick Cummings, spanning from his early childhood through to his early death from complications stemming from multiple sclerosis. The diary combines beautiful, lyrical passages concerning the natural world with more introspective ruminations reminiscent of Kafka. Although successful and scandalous upon their publication in 1919, interest in the diaries has faded along with public interest in naturalism and diary writing more generally. However, Cummings' work is very modern is its forthright confessional tone and contains some deeply moving pieces of writing not easily forgotten. - Summary by Adam Whybray

This is Vol. 4, No. 13, Serial No. 113 of The Mentor, published Aug 15, 1916. This edition of the Mentor Magazine is devoted to big game animals in North America. There is an emphasis on preservation of these animals and opposition to big game hunting as a sport. These include the Prong-Horned Antelope, Mountain Sheep, Mountain Goat, Caribou, Moose, Musk-Ox, Elk, and the American Bison. - Summary by Larry Wilson

The first book published by The Boone and Crockett Club founded by Theodore Roosevelt and George Grinnell, who declared in their Editors Note: "Hunting big game in the wilderness is, above all things, a sport for a vigorous and masterful people. The rifle-bearing hunter, whether he goes on foot or on horseback, whether he voyages in a canoe or travels with a dog-sled, must be sound of body and firm of mind, and must possess energy, resolution, manliness, self-reliance, and capacity for hardy self-help...

Another 'dog's-eye view' book for children by this early activist for the American Humane Society. In this tale, we follow the travels and adventures of Boy, a loveable and loyal wire-haired fox-terrier in city and country. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

The myths in this 1911 volume are authentic. The original collections were made by government ethnologists. Only the quaintest and purest of the myths have been selected. The leading myth of the North the Raven Myth, is given with a fair degree of completeness. . These tribes are included: Eskimo , Tlingit , Tsetsaut, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Athapascan , Eskimo , Eskimo , Koyukun, and Koryak . - Summary by Author's Preface and david wales

"In this engaging story, Bobby Raccoon suffers a series of mishaps. Following a bad dream, he bites his own tail, is given a dreadful fright, learns that Farmer Brown's Boy is a kind friend, survives an encounter with Buster Bear, gets a terrible shaking and more, but, happily, is rescued by Peter Rabbit and eventually finds a new home."

This is the 6th compilation of childrens bedtime stories by conservationist and newspaper columnist author Thornton Waldo Burgess. Burgess used his outdoor observations as plots for his stories. The stories involve his earlier developed characters such as Peter Rabbit, Sammy Jay and Grandfather Frog. - Summary by afutterer.

Author and editor of numerous children's books, Thornton W. Burgess was also a noted conservationist. In writing for youngsters he combined a gift for storytelling with his love of the outdoors, creating an entertaining menagerie of animals whose adventures he skillfully recounted in a series of charming fables. In them, he taught young readers about nature and encouraged them to love the "lesser folk in fur and feathers." In this delightfully told tale, Burgess chronicles the escapades of Chatterer the Red Squirrel, who's known throughout the Green Forest as a mischief maker...

During the later part of his life Hudson lived in southern England, where he was involved very early on with the RSPB . Birds and Man is a slow moving work where Hudson discusses his love of birds, and the need for better protection of them. - Summary by clarinetcarrot

This is the story of Peter Rabbit, a mischievous, but cautious, lagomorph who lives in the Green Meadows. Peter Rabbit begins his adventures with a quest for a new name, since his name is far too common for his taste. Having a new name is not quite what he thought it would be, however, and soon he is on to new exploits like outsmarting Reddy Fox and discovering where all his friends spend the winter. This tale co-stars Reddy Fox, Jerry Muskrat, Unc' Billy Possum, Jimmy Skunk, Ol' Mistah Buzzard, Bowser the Hound, and many more of Thornton W. Burgess' delightful characters. - Summary by Jill Engle

Is Santa Claus real? Six year old Elinor thinks so as she sends her letter, and persuades her friend Bill to do likewise. On the other side of town, a stray kitten adopts a lonely bachelor. As the two worlds come together, the magic of Christmas is kept alive for all ages in this heart-warming tale.

A fight in the Midwest leaves the dog's owner dead. He searches for a new friend and encounters Trading Jeff. Jeff is a traveling peddler. Beware, though, because life as a peddler isn't easy Join us for the adventures of Jeff and his dog in this delightful children's book. Summary by Adele de Pignerolles.

After poor health forced Klickmann to move from London to the country, she began writing a series of sketches for The Girl's Own Paper and in 1916 she published the first of a series of books based on them. Her cottage, known in her books as "Rosemary Cottage", had an idyllic country garden and spectacular views over the River Wye and Tintern Abbey. The book, The Flower-Patch Among the Hills, was highly successful; a reprint was needed after two weeks. In later years, she wrote six more Flower Patch books, the stories growing to involve her household and the local people, combining nature description, anecdote, autobiography, religion, and humour. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

Uncle Wiggily Longears is the main character of a series of children's stories by American author Howard R. Garis. He began writing the stories for the Newark News in 1910. Garis penned an Uncle Wiggily story every day for more than 30 years, and published 79 books within the author's lifetime. -- Wikipedia Here are more of the adventures of this lovable old fortune-seeking gentleman rabbit who suffers from rheumatism.

This book is devoted to the study of invertebrate animals. While most people associate the word "animal" with fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, 90% of the animal species on earth are invertebrates, i.e., they have no backbone. Protozoans and invertebrate animals are found world-wide, from the bottom of the oceans to the the rain forests, ice caves, and our own back yards. Many invertebrates still reside in the oceans, while others dwell in our houses, back yards and gardens, in ponds and streams, and on the menus in seafood restaurants...

Tales of the fur traders and mountain men who explored Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and the Teton Mountain Range.

This is the life story of a Black Bear in the western US, as told by the bear himself. He tells of the days when humans began to invade the territory where they and their ancestors had been kings for many eons. - Summary by philip chenevert

This 1905 collection is of the author’s short animal stories, some previously published in magazines. - Summary by David Wales

Deputy Sheriff Tug Blackstock wanted a dog to help with his work. As for Jim, at first glance he might almost have been taken for a slim, young black bear rather than a dog. They were a pair, indeed, to strike the most stolid imagination, let alone the sensitive, brooding, watchful imagination of the backwoods. Plus three other stories. - Summary by Story text and David Wales

Action and adventure short stories of men and animals in the wild. - Summary by David Wales

The Squirrel family lived half-way up a tall tree in their cozy little home, lined with soft, dried leaves and white, fluffy cotton. Slicko and her siblings are getting jumping lessons today from Mr. Squirrel. Slicko meets a new friend and goes on an adventure which gets her into a bit of trouble. What will happen to poor Slicko?

This 1915 novella was published as the First World War raged. "Belgium lies bleeding. Across her level, lush meadows the harsh-shod hosts of war have marched. Beside her peaceful waters the sons of God have spilled each other’s blood. Beneath her noble trees have raged the fires of human hate. Her king and his brave warriors have fought to save that which was their own and, driven back, have left their smiling land to suffer the desolation which has ever been the conqueror’s boast. Her ancient cities smoke...

Lucy and Dora are so excited to learn they will be sleeping in a tent at the beach! Then Mother and Uncle Dan tell them that their kitten, Timmy is not invited, and Father says he might even run away. Arrangements must be made for Timmy... but will he agree to their plans? This charming story follows two sisters over the course of about a year and the things that they do with their family. The Chinese kitten is a part of an old chess set that the girls get from their aunt because one of the girls lost her necklace during a camping trip. Lots of working on needle point, washing dishes, going to school, and different holidays and what they do during them.

This collection of stories about dogs and the people they own was published in 1918. The story proceeds leisurely with much information about different breeds of dogs. The author obviously likes both boys and dogs.

Arthur Scott Bailey, a native of the state of Vermont, wrote over forty children's books using a variety of animals, birds and even insects to entertain. The Tale of Reddy Woodpecker is one of 16 stories of his Tuck-Me-In Tales series. - Summary by Larry Wilson

From the Introduction: "Nature stories, legends, and poems appeal to the young reader’s interest in various ways. Some of them suggest or reveal certain facts which stimulate a spirit of investigation and attract the child’s attention to the beauty and mystery of the world. Others serve an excellent purpose by quickening his sense of humour." This is a charming collection of stories, legends, and poems about autumn harvest, Halloween, and Thanksgiving translated from the Danish, French, German, and others...