THORNTON W. BURGESS, children's author and naturalist, was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, in 1874. While growing up he roamed the woods, fields and salt marshes of Cape Cod, where he came to know the birds, animals and plant life well. Later, as a grown man, he told stories about ani mals and nature to his young son. In 1910, these stories formed the basis for his first book, O/d Mother West Wind. From the Green Forest and Green Meadows to the Smiling Pool, Burgess introduced children and adults to Peter Rab bit, Reddy Fox, Grandfather Frog and the many ebildren of Old Mother Nature. The tales that began as bedtime stories for his son became the bedtime stories of millions with their message of conservation education through enter tainment.

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One of the most beloved characters in children"s literature, Peter Cottontail is up to his long-whiskered nose in rib-tickling escapades in this delightful classic. With gentle charm and humor, famed storyteller Thornton W. Burgess draws young readers into the timeless world of the Green Forest, the Smiling Pool and the Purple Mountains.

Warmth and whimsy are the order of the day as Peter discovers the folly of changing his name, outwits the ever-hungry Reddy Fox, manages a number of hare"s-breadth escapes and finally makes an ill-advised decision to hibernate--as Johnny Chuck and other woodland creatures do. The silliness of trying to do what nature never intended is one of the gentle morals of these adventures that combine the fun of a good story with little lessons about wildlife, the environment and being true to one"s self.

Newly reset in large easy-to-read type, this unabridged childhood classic will delight young readers today just as it did their parents and grandparents.

I. Peter Rabbit Decides to

  Change His Name

  II. Peter Finds a Name

 III. There"s Nothing Like the Old

  Name After All

  IV. Peter Rabbit Fools Jimmy

  Skunk

V. Reddy Fox Gets into Trouble

  VI. Reddy Fools Bowser the

  Hound

 VII. Reddy Invites Peter Rabbit to

  Take a Walk

VIII. Peter Rabbit Gets an Early

  Breakfast

  IX. Reddy Fox Gets a Scare

X. Peter Has Another Great

  Laugh

  XI. Shadow the Weasel Gets Lost

 XII. The Plot of Two Scamps

XIII. Reddy Fox Comes to Life

 XIV. Peter Rabbit in a Tight Place

  XV. Johnny Chuck Helps Peter

 XVI. Reddy Fox Tells a Wrong

  Story

XVII. Reddy Almost Gets Peter

  Rabbit

XVIII. Johnny Chuck Prepares for

  Winter

 XIX. Peter Rabbit Gets Another

  Surprise

  XX. Peter Tries 01" Mistah 

  Buzzard

 XXI. Happy Jack Squirrel is Too

  Busy to Talk

XXII. Unc" Billy Possum Explains

  Things

XXIII. Peter Rabbit Has a Bright

  Idea

XXlV. Peter Prepares for a Long

  Sleep

 XXV. Unc" Billy Possum Plays a

  Joke

XXVI. Peter Rabbit Learns His

  Lesson