Although David Alec Wilson is best known for his writings about Thomas Carlyle, he was a Scottish civil servant who spent much time in India. This collection of stories draw from those experiences, where tales of tigers, leopards, crocodiles, elephants and monkeys are part of the cultural fabric. These range from short vignettes to several multi-part stories, all sure to entertain. - Summary by Larry Wilson

David Cory is the author of more than 40 childrens books. This book is in his series of Puss in Boots, Jr. The roots of the legend of Puss in Boots seems to go back to Italian folklore. These books are written for younger readers, about second grade and up, hence the "junior" designation - Summary by Larry Wilson

Toto is the littlest beaver in his family and in the pond. He has much to experience and learn as he experiences the world and has adventures. A fun children's story that has many animals all chipping in to make life interesting for the newest beaver. - Summary by phil chenevert

Old Joe was the biggest, fightingest, craftiest coon in the Creeping Hills. No one had ever been able to catch him; not even Precious Sue, a bluetick hound peerless in tracking down coons. But Harky felt that this autumn the hunting would be different. Old Joe was in for trouble. Precious Sue had a pup who looked like a natural-born coon hunter. With his web-footed paws he was as skillful in the water as any coon. And on land, Duckfoot had a nose that beat every other hound hollow. Harky had a few troubles of his own...

This is a story on the circus animal series by Richard Barnum. Follow adventures of Shaggo, The Mighty Buffalo from prairie to circus life. - Summary by Larry Wilson

Winkie is a girl woodchuck that is always up for any adventure. And she and her sister Blinky have a lot of them as they scurry through the forest with their friends looking for things to eat and to have fun with. Winkie is not called the wily woodchuck for no reason; she manages to evade trouble most times but not all and those times makes us hold our breath wondering if Winkie will manage to grow up to be a big woodchuck at all. - Summary by phil chenevert

Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography was a monthly publication of the Nature Study Publishing Company of Chicago. It includes short poems, anecdotes and factual descriptions of birds with accompanying color plates. The magazine was published from 1898-1907 under the various titles, "Birds," "Birds and all Nature," "Nature and Art" and "Birds and Nature." Later issues were expanded to include animals, plants, etc. Summary by J. M. Smallheer

Soon after his arrival to the lovely, cool summer escape of Devering Farm, Bonnie Prince Fetlar knows his new home will be a good one. Set in the mountainous Canadian countryside, the farm is a nurturing home for children and a safe-haven for animals both domestic and wild. But Prince Fetlar is a wise Shetland pony, and senses that the place is not without mysterious secrets. From saving the life of the beautiful "White Phantom" to solving the mystery regarding his boy owner's lost mother, there is never a dull moment for the small horse with a big heart. Additional proof-listening by Jessie Wang

Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography was a monthly publication of the Nature Study Publishing Company of Chicago. It includes short poems, anecdotes and factual descriptions of birds with accompanying color plates. The magazine was published from 1898-1907 under the various titles, "Birds," "Birds and all Nature," "Nature and Art" and "Birds and Nature." Later issues were expanded to include animals, plants, etc. Summary by J. M. Smallheer

The land of the Eskimo is the most inhospitable desolate portion of Mother Earth inhabited by man. Well has the Eskimo need of his cheerful watch word, or salutation, of Aksuse, which means be strong. This is the story of a Polar Bear and his involvement with his environment and men. But not just any polar bear, the biggest and fiercest of them all. The Czar of the Frozen North, is in a class quite by himself. He is not nearly as large as his cousin the Kadiak bear, but that huge beast inhabits a comparatively small area and is little known, while the white Czar ranges along the shores of the Arctic sea round the entire world...

Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography was a monthly publication of the Nature Study Publishing Company of Chicago. It includes short poems, anecdotes and factual descriptions of birds with accompanying color plates. The magazine was published from 1898-1907 under the various titles, "Birds," "Birds and all Nature," "Nature and Art" and "Birds and Nature." Later issues were expanded to include animals, plants, etc. Summary by J. M. Smallheer

“Tommy scuffed his bare, brown feet in the grass … A scowl, a deep, dark, heavy scowl, had chased all merriment from his round, freckled face. It seemed as if the very freckles were trying to hide from it. Tommy didn’t care. He said so. He said so right out loud. He didn’t care if all the world knew it. He wanted the world to know it. It was a horrid old world anyway…” Soon, Tommy finds the “wishing stone.” His wishes transform him into a mouse, and then a succession of animals of the forest giving him a new perspective and exciting adventures, including times with Peter Rabbit and other forest friends...

] Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography was a monthly publication of the Nature Study Publishing Company of Chicago. It includes short poems, anecdotes and factual descriptions of birds with accompanying color plates. The magazine was published from 1898-1907 under the various titles, "Birds," "Birds and all Nature," "Nature and Art" and "Birds and Nature." Later issues were expanded to include animals, plants, etc. Summary by J. M. Smallheer

Follow the adventures and escapades of these delightful bears! There is one story for each day of the month from master story teller H.R. Garis who brought us the stories of Uncle Wiggily, Curlytops, Buddy, Teddy, and many others. This is one of his Bedtime series.

Lightfoot is a delightful little goat who jumps from one adventure to another, some heroic some just mischief, but always a lot of fun. This is one of the Kneetime Animal Stories series written under the name of Richard Barnum. - Summary by Larry Wilson

London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. Opening in 1828, it was originally intended to be used as a collection for the scientific study of animals. The animals of the Tower of London menagerie were transferred to the zoo's collection in 1831-32. It was opened to the public in 1847. It is managed by the Zoological Society of London , and is situated at the northern edge of Regent's Park. Charles John Cornish was a well known popular English naturalist and author; he published this book in 1895. - Summary by David Wales

You get to choose what you want to read! So long as the source is Public Domain for you, any short story or chapter that tells of legends, heroes, myths, or ancient lore, is welcome. We are looking for representations of many different cultures within each collection. If you have questions of whether a source is Public Domain for you , I recommend asking about that in this project's discussion before you begin recording. Simply post the question with a link to the source you've found. :) Limit of 2 sections per reader in a given Myths & Legends collection. - Summary by Lynette Caulkins

The American Bee Journal is the “oldest bee paper in America established in 1861 devoted to scientific bee-culture and the production and sale of pure honey. Published every Wednesday, by Thomas G. Newman, Editor and Proprietor” In this volume are short articles and correspondence on a variety of topics from Extracting Bees to Raspberry as a Honey Plant. - Summary by Larry Wilson

Follow, “A Very Small Bunny Has a Very Big Adventure” as Nibble Rabbit romps through the clover patch and into the woods where he founds the other woodland creatures including Doctor Muskrat, Chatter Squirrel, Hooter the Owl, and Silvertip the Fox. This is part of the “Told at Twilight Stories” by John Breck - Summary by Larry Wilson

Roger North, son of Dudley North, 4th Baron North, was a successful member of the bar and later member of parliament. But he had wide ranging interests from architecture to music. He has an avid collector of books and is best known as the biographer of the North family. Here we sample his interest in raising fish. He presents fifteen short sketches of esculent fish, and a longer essay as "A Discourse of Fish and Fish Ponds." - Summary by Larry Wilson

Book I Grouping of animals and the parts of the human body. Book II Different parts of red-blooded animals. Book III Internal organs. Book IV Animals without blood . Books V & VI Animal reproduction. Book VII Human reproduction. Book VIII Habits . Book IX Social behavior. Book X Dealing with barrenness in women was excluded from the translation of D'Arcy Thompson for being spurious so the translation of the Clergyman Richard Cresswell is used instead. Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson was a biologist, mathematician and classicist who also wrote On Growth and Form which discusses the mathematical patterns and structures formed in plants and animals.

This mother and son team, each distinguished in their field, collaborate to give charming portraits of a dozen of our favorite song birds. Their use of poetry and flowing prose makes each of these birds come alive in and endearing and accessible way. - Summary by Larry Wilson

This volume displays the romance of birds in beautiful prose and dialog in simple language for children and adults alike. Written by a mother and son team of naturalists, chapters describe various aspects of the life and habits of birds highlighting specific birds from owls to hummingbirds. From the introduction: “Seek the children, little book: Bid them love the bird's retreat . . . Bid them find their secrets out, How to understand their words.” - Summary by Larry Wilson

Dogs! Many of us love them and they love us unconditionally. But is he a soft teddy bear or a ferocious guard dog?

The Jay Bird Who Went Tame is a children's story about different animals from the nature relating with humans in a rural environment.

Enjoy the further adventures of Nibble Bunny as he travels through wood and dell where he meets so many more friends such as Chaik Jay, Chewee the Chickadee, Doctor Muskrat, Chirp Sparrow, the White Cow, and Great-grandfather Mouse. This is part of the “Told at Twilight Stories” by John Breck - Summary by Larry Wilson

Today, performing animals are frowned on by many but in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, traveling menageries afforded entertainment for the masses. The Bostock family were famous in England at the time, for traveling around the country with a bevy of wild animals, many not seen before in provincial towns. If these animals could be trained to perform "tricks", rather than behave more naturally, so much the better. This volume gives an insight into the training and care of assorted animals. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

This is a children's story about a skunk and his different animals friends such as cows, snakes, mice and rabbits who share a forest together. - Summary by Lynda Marie Neilson

The author of this book, Ralph Henry Barbour, was a prolific writer of scholastic and college sports and adventure fiction for boys. Here is a departure from that niche. This is a story about the good, and not so good, adventures of Fritz the dachshund, as a puppy and an adult dog , as told by ... Fritz the dachshund. A very heart-warming story for children. - Summary by Donald Cummings

Little Bunny Cotton-tail is a very naughty bunny. He runs away, he won't go to school, and he keeps nibbling on Farmer Jones' cabbage! Mother Bunny will have to ask for help to get her little bunny to behave.

Dear little Princess Sukey sitting by the fire—pretty little pigeon—of what is she thinking as she dreamily eyes the blazing wood? If a pigeon could review its past life, what she has of bird mind would be running back over the series of adventures that she had ere she established herself in this well ordered household. Has she any mentality of her own, or are all pigeons stupid as has been said? Listen to her story, and judge for yourself. Additional proof-listening by KHand and Oreki.

“Tad Coon was lost! And Doctor Muskrat and Nibble felt pretty discouraged over their chances of ever seeing him again.” Tad Coon’s adventures may get him in trouble. Will his friends in the woods be able to help him? This is one of the Told at Twilight Stories by John Breck. - Summary by Larry Wilson