The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver

Thornton W. Burgess was an important and influential American conservationist and a prolific author of charming children’s stories. For over 50 years, Burgess published numerous popular books on the flora and fauna of the natural world and wrote a regular newspaper column called “Bedtime Stories”. Often affectionately referred to as the “Bedtime Story-Man”, Burgess celebrated his love for the natural world through humorous and educational stories for children in both his books and in his popular column. First published in 1917, “The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver” follows the familiar character of Paddy as he moves into the Green Forest and finds it to be more dangerous than he imagined. Pursued by the mean Old Man Coyote, Paddy befriends grouchy Sammy Jay, who helps him escape from the cruel hunter. Soon, Paddy and Sammy become best friends and their forest homes are again happy places. Burgess had a special ability to combine an educational story about the behaviors, habitats, and characteristics of the creatures of the natural world while also captivating audiences both young and old. This edition includes a biographical afterword and the original illustrations by Harrison Cady.