Where did Grandfather Frog get his big mouth, and why doesn’t Buster Bear have a tail? When did Mr. Bluebird win his coat, and how did Howler the Wolf get his name? This charming collection of fables transports readers and listeners into Thornton Burgess’s Green Forest. In the magical woodland home of Peter Cottontail, Bob White, Spotty the Turtle, and other adventurous animals, children learn gentle lessons about ecology and respect for the environment.

These 17 stories originated with the author’s Old Mother West Wind series of “Why,” “How,” “When,” and “Where” books. This modern edition features vibrantly re-colored versions of Harrison Cady’s original illustrations. Each tale is just a few pages long — ideal for bedtime reading and quickly lulling children off to sleep.

Original selection from Thornton W. Burgess’s Mother West Wind Stories “Why,” “How,” “When,” and “Where” books, Little, Brown, and Company, 1915–1918 editions.