Science (4-7)

Danny Meadow Mouse learns to laugh, Grandfather Frog gets even, and the Merry Little Breezes have a busy day in the second volume of Thornton Burgess's popular Green Forest series. These heartwarming tales recount the adventures of Peter Rabbit, Reddy Fox, Jimmy Skunk, Hooty the Owl, and other endearing characters. Suffused with gentle humor and embellished by George Kerr's illustrations from the original 1911 edition, the stories offer children enduring lessons about wildlife ecology. This edition includes a new Foreword by John Richmond of the Thornton W. Burgess Society.

Growing up during the late 19th century in Sandwich, Massachusetts, Thornton W. Burgess often wandered through the countryside, where he learned to recognize and appreciate the birds and animal life of the area. Later on, as an adult, he told stories to his young son about these same creatures. His first book, Old Mother West Wind, published in 1910, contained a collection of these stories. Three years later it was followed by Mother West Wind's Neighbors — 15 delightful fables from the world of the Green Forest and Green Meadows. In this classic of children's literature, readers find out why Johnny Chuck doesn't like Blacky the Crow and why Ol' Mistah Buzzard has a bald head. They'll learn what is in Mrs. Possum's big pocket and how Hooty the Owl gets even. They'll even find out who stole Mrs. Grouse's eggs, discover why Sammy Jay cries "Thief," and uncover other secrets of Mother West Wind's neighbors. Brimming with gentle humor and real lessons about nature, these enchanting tales will captivate today's youngsters as much as they charmed audiences generations ago.