A woman and her daughter take refuge in a cabin deep in the Canadian forest. This is a tale of survival from the land, friendship and love. - Summary by Czandra

The most careless reader can hardly fail to see that many of the Tales in this volume have the same groundwork as those with which he has been familiar from his earliest youth. They are Nursery Tales, in fact, of the days when there were tales in nurseries–old wives’ fables, which have faded away before the light of gas and the power of steam. (Excerpt from Popular Tales from the Norse.)

Jock of the Bushveld is a true story by South African author Sir Percy Fitzpatrick when he worked as a storeman, prospector's assistant, journalist and ox-wagon transport-rider. The book tells of Fitzpatrick's travels with his dog, Jock, during the 1880s. Jock was saved by Fitzpatrick from being drowned in a bucket for being the runt of the litter. Jock was very loyal towards Percy, and brave. Jock was an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

These are the first two chapters of Natsume Sōseki's masterpiece, "I Am A Cat" . It is recognized as a landmark of modern Japanese literature, with its humorous but insightful depiction of society as seen through the eyes of a cat. The full work was published in serial form, in ten installments, in 1905-1906. Soon after, Kan-ichi Ando published an English translation of the first two chapters. Sadly, there is no translation of the full work in the public domain, but because of its episodic structure, this excerpt can easily stand on its own. - Summary by Peter Eastman

"To devour others and to avoid being devoured oneself,that is life’s end and aim." This is the fascinating and exciting story of a girl pike named Grimm from her early life as an innocent fish to the wily and wise Pike she ultimately becomes. But many are the perils and dangers she must avoid to get there. Translated by John Muir.

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most passionate of natural conservationsts having establish five national parks, 18 national monuments, and 150 national forests and other protected areas. Part of his enchantment with the wild lands of the American West was big game hunting. These chapters were originally published in Harper’s Round Table, stories of the elk, bear, wolf, antelopes, and goats, concluding with a view of ranching. - Summary by Larry Wilson

KI-YI, the coyote, is chasing and causing terrible havoc for Doctor Rabbit and all the little creatures of the Big Green Woods. Whatever can they do to solve this problem? - Summary by Laur

All Doctor Rabbit and his friends want is peace in the Big Green Woods. But peace alludes them as long as Tom Wildcat is around because T. Wildcat is bound and determined to have rabbit, woodchuck, squirrel, or any of the other little creatures in the woods for a meal! Doctor Rabbit must think of a scheme to make all the little wood's creatures safe, but it won't be easy!

Do you enjoy birdwatching? Would you like to learn a little more about the early conservations efforts to protect wild birds? In the Preface to The Bird Study Book, Pearson tells us “This book was written for the consideration of that ever-increasing class of Americans who are interested in acquiring a greater familiarity with the habits and activities of wild birds. Attention is also given to the relation of birds to mankind and the effect of civilisation on the bird-life of the country. ” An avid ornithologist, T...

Simple and unpretentious as a statement by Francis d’Assisi, yet full of a gentle modern sophistication and humour, this little work will bring delight and refreshment to all who seek flight from the heavy-laden hour. It is, moreover, one of the most subtle and penetrating studies of the psychology of the dog that has ever been written—tender yet unsentimental, realistic and full of the detail of masterly observation and description, yet in its final form and precipitation a work of exquisite literary art. - Summary from the Foreword by Herman George Scheffauer

These delightful stories created by the writer known famously as the Bedtime Story Man provide hours of endless enjoyment for readers both young and old. His daily newspaper column which he wrote without a break from 1912 through to 1960 featured a host of engaging characters and their lively pranks and doings. In this charmingly illustrated volume, Reddy Fox, the young hero is sent to stay with his grandma. Grandmother Fox is the “wisest, slyest and smartest fox in all the country around” and she takes it upon herself to educate Reddy in the things that every fox should know! Thus begins a battle of wits between Farmer Brown, Farmer Brown's Boy, Reddy and Grandmother Fox...

Known to generations of children and their parents as the Bedtime Story Man, Thornton Waldo Burgess wrote nearly two hundred much loved children's books. They were tales that recounted the doings of delightful characters who inhabited the Green Meadow and the Green Forest. Burgess, who was also an ardent conservationist besides being a writer and journalist shared his love of Nature and respect for all beings who share this earth with us. The Adventures of Buster Bear is a fun children's book that helps children understand that animals and the forest deserve respect and it is also a sincere call for responsible conservationism...

Peter Rabbit goes to school, with Mother Nature as his teacher. In this zoology book for children, Thornton W. Burgess describes the mammals of North America in the form of an entertaining story, including plenty of detail but omitting long scientific names. There is an emphasis on conservation.

The Burgess Bird Book for Children is a zoology book written in the form of a story featuring Peter Rabbit. Peter learns from his friend Jenny Wren all about the birds of North America, and we meet many of them in the Old Orchard, the Green Meadow, and the Green Forest.

The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk is another in the long list children’s books by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, Jimmy Skunk has encounters with Reddy Fox, Peter Rabbit, Unc’ Billy Possum and other acquaintances of his in the Green Meadows and Green Forest. Along the way, we learn some of the habits of Jimmy and his friends and we learn little lessons about life such as the importance of always keeping one’s temper, keeping promises and not playing practical jokes. We are also treated to a philosophical discussion by Jimmy Skunk on the advantages of defensive weaponry.

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. We also learn little lessons about life, such as the importance of planning before doing, caring for Nature, trusting others, the benefits of working together and how wonderful it is to have a job one can sink one’s teeth into.

“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.

The Adventures of Johnny Chuck is another in the long list of children’s books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this story, it is spring time and a young chuck’s fancy turns to thoughts of … traveling, protecting one’s turf, finding a new home, and yes, love. Along the way, we learn little lessons about life such as there are good and bad kinds of pride, the importance of keeping secrets and that, even in the animal world, the three most important factors in determining the desirability of property are “location, location, location.”

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. These...

When an innocent blue jay starts talking in his sleep, it’s up to him to find out what’s going on in this fun, naturalistic, Southern-style children’s story.

Join us as we follow Jerry Muskrat and his friends on an adventure to discover what is threatening their homeland; The Laughing Brook and The Smiling Pool.

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. (Introduction by CLW Rollins)

Longlegs the Blue Heron felt decidedly out of sorts. It was a beautiful morning, too beautiful for any one to be feeling that way. Indeed, it was the same beautiful morning in which Grandfather Frog had caught so many foolish green flies. Jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun was smiling his broadest. The Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were dancing happily here and there over the Green Meadows, looking for some good turn to do for others. The little feathered people to whom Old Mother Nature has given the great blessing of music in their throats were pouring out their sweetest songs...

The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad is another in the long line of children's books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, we follow the adventures of Old Mr. Toad as he joins the Spring Chorus at the Smiling Pool, shows off his babies, displays his special tongue to Peter Rabbit and has a very special encounter with Buster Bear. We also learn little lessons about life such as pride can burst like a great big bubble, your friends' hidden talents may surprise you and it is considered impolite to watch someone change his clothes - especially when he eats them.

Danny begins his tale regretting the length of his tail until he is corrected by Mr. Toad. Then he has a series of stalkings by Reddy and Granny Fox. He is captured by Hooty the Owl and escapes mid-flight to Peter Rabbit's briar patch. Peter goes to Farmer Brown's peach orchard and gets caught in a snare and barely escapes himself. Finally Danny gets trapped in a tin can and must use his wits to escape Reddy Fox again.

The Adventures of Lightfoot the Deer is another set of children’s stories by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. More serious than some of Burgess' other children's books, much of this book chronicles the tense predator-prey relationship of a human hunter and Lightfoot the Deer during the autumn hunting season. Later, Lightfoot discovers a hunt of a different kind.

A stranger from the North Woods has just arrived in the Green Forest causing a great stir among the woodland creatures who live there. They quickly discover that this odd fellow with the barbed spikes in his fur is the loyal and brave Prickly Porky the Porcupine. Not long after Prickly Porky arrives, a bit of early morning fun leads to a forest mystery that draws friends and foes alike into the investigation of an unknown headless, tailless, whirling creature seen only at sunrise on the hill by Prickly Porky's home...

Peter Rabbit has many questions. How did Howler the Wolf get his name? How did Lightfoot the Deer learn to jump? How did Drummer the Woodpecker come by his red cap? When Peter asks Grandfather Frog, Grandfather Frog tells him a story of long ago. This book is a collection of those stories told by Grandfather Frog and many others.

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.

"Hello, Jerry Muskrat! We'd forgotten all about you," said Mrs. Quack. "What was that you said?" Jerry good-naturedly repeated what he had said. Mrs. Quack's face brightened. "Do you really mean it?" she asked eagerly. "Do you really mean that you know of a pond where we could live and not be likely to be seen by these two-legged creatures called men?" "That's what I said," replied Jerry briefly. "Oh, Jerry, you're not joking, are you? Tell me you're not joking," begged Mrs. Quack. "Of course I'm not joking," returned Jerry just a little bit indignantly, "I am not the kind of a fellow to joke people who are in such trouble as you and Mr. Quack seem to be in."

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.

Old Man Coyote craftily leads Bowser the hound away from home, and Bowser gets lost. Will Bowser find his way back to Farmer Brown's? Will Reddy Fox finally catch himself a chicken, now that Bowser is no longer guarding the henhouse? This is one of many delightful books by the naturalist Thornton W. Burgess, who wrote children's stories featuring the animals of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows.

The adventures and perils of Happy Jack the Squirrel in the Green Forest, co-starring Happy Jack's cousins Chatterer the Red Squirrel and Striped Chipmunk, friends Sammy Jay, Tommy Tit, Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, and Shadow the Weasel as Happy Jack's enemy.

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.

Chatterer the Red Squirrel finds himself in trouble again and is forced to abandon his old home. As the search for a new home begins, Chatterer's curiosity gets the better of him and a moment of carelessness causes him to stumble into a far different home than he ever imagined. This book is Thornton W. Burgess at his best as he captures the personalities and behaviors of the animals in the Green Forest delightfully well and tells a story of mischievousness and unexpected friendship.

Thorton Burgess gives us a collection of stories about the animals, explaining 'when' they got their peculiar traits. As usual the stories are short and delightfully written so as to be enjoyed by child or adult. Have you ever wondered when Mr. Bluebird got his beautiful coat? or when Bob-White won his name? or Old Mr. Bat got his wings:? well these stories explain how they all happened along with many,many more.

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.

The Adventures of Old Man Coyote is another in the long list of children's books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, the residents of The Green Pasture and The Green Forest are concerned about a strange newcomer, Old Man Coyote. Old Many Coyote matches wits with Old Granny Fox and has encounters with Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit, and a particularly sharp confrontation with Prickly Porky.

The Adventures of Bob White is another in the long line of children's books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, Bob White and Mrs. Bob White make a new home near the Old Briar Patch where they become neighbors with Peter Rabbit. We learn what Bob White likes to eat, how he protects his nest from being discovered, and who his friends and his enemies are. We also learn that sometimes it's not good to know everything, that arithmetic can be a useful tool, and that a Bob White needs to stay far away from the two-legged creatures who carry fire-sticks.

"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...

Chatterer the Red Squirrel finds himself in trouble again and is forced to abandon his old home. As the search for a new home begins, Chatterer's curiosity gets the better of him and a moment of carelessness causes him to stumble into a far different home than he ever imagined. This book is Thornton W. Burgess at his best as he captures the personalities and behaviors of the animals in the Green Forest delightfully well and tells a story of mischievousness and unexpected friendship. - Summary by Jill Engle

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

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. - Summary by SweetHome

Continuing the adventure of Buster Bear, we meet his twins, Boxer and Woof-Woof, from their first bath to misadventures with neighbors including Peter Rabbit. - Summary by Larry Wilson

“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...

“The stranger and the unknown must be always looked on with distrust.” --  Billy Mink The Green Forest and the Smiling Pool are full of adventure for Billy Mink and his animal friends – Bobby Coon, Jerry Muskrat, Juniper Hare and the others. But, danger lurks with a plot from the Robber Rats. How will Billy Mink win the day? This is the first of the "Smiling Pool Series" of stories by prolific author of 150 animal books for children, Thornton W. Burgess. - Summary by Larry Wilson

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. - Summary by Jude Somers

“Folks aren’t so sure about you when You spring surprises now and then.”  Little Joe Otter.Join Little Joe Otter and Peter Rabbit in their adventures that include encounters with Farmer Brown and a treacherous trapper. This is the second of the "Smiling Pool Series" of stories by prolific author of 150 animal books for the children, Thornton W. Burgess.

These are the fantastic adventures of Galopoff, the talking pony, and his friends. Galopoff experiences some amazing adventures in Russia, meeting some famous people of his time, and joining a circus, until his story finally culminates in a great happy end. - Summary by Carolin

Gypsy is a particularly smart little dog, who knows a lot of tricks which he performed with his owner, a street artist. But one day, he is stolen from this owner and kidnapped, and brought aboard a ship to be transported away. Luckily he gets to meet Galopoff, the talking pony, on that ship, who helps him escape. A world of adventure opens to Gypsy, until he finds a good home. - Summary by Carolin

Snow Geese which left James Bay, Canada, arrived at the Louisiana Gulf coast "60 hours later after a continuous flight of over 1,700 miles at an average speed of 28 miles per hour." This is just one of the many intriguing facts about bird migration contained in this 1998 circular from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Informative and up-to-date chapters discuss flight speed and rate of migration, migration routes, and techniques for studying migration. A final chapter, Future Directions, concludes...

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...

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.

Vance Rudolph's informative work about butterflies includes a summary of current butterfly literature, butterfly body structure, life cycle, and egg laying process, as well as their classification and survival strategies. - Summary by Tatiana Chichilla

A collection of my favorite short children's stories and rhymes.

Cat Tales is the first of a series of kid-friendly collections of animal stories and non-fiction. There’ll be one or two grade-school-level texts on the animal, with eight-nine fiction works. Source for these is Project Gutenberg.

The first volume published by the Boone and Crockett Club, entitled "American Big Game Hunting," confined itself to sport on the American continent. This second volume presents a number of interesting sketches written by club members who have hunted big game in other lands. Essays include: Hunting in East Africa, To the Gulf of Cortez, A Canadian Moose Hunt, A Hunting Trip in India, Dog Sledging in the North, Wolf-Hunting in Russia, A Bear-Hunt in the Sierras, The Ascent of Chief Mountain, The Cougar, Big Game of Mongolia and Tibet, Hunting in the Cattle Country, Wolf-Coursing, Game Laws, and Protection of the Yellowstone National Park. - Summary by Michele Fry

Here is a period piece, covering 47 breeds, about the early days of dog breeding, the birth of the American Kennel Club which firmly established breed standards, and the development of bench shows and field trials. Each article, written by a premier breed expert of the day, sheds light on how today's breeds were sculpted from the best traits of dogs of yesteryear. Old dog training theory and methods of treating disease are discussed. Editor Shields called this book “the grandest work on the dog ever published...