Author

Thornton W. Burgess

1874-1965 · American author of nature stories for children

About Thornton W. Burgess

Thornton W. Burgess (1874–1965), American author of nature stories for children, including the Old Mother West Wind circle.

Notable works

  • Old Mother West Wind (1910)
  • The Adventures of Reddy Fox (1913)
  • The Adventures of Peter Cottontail (1914)
  • The Burgess Bird Book for Children (1919)
  • The Burgess Animal Book for Children (1920)

On this site

The Burgess Bird Book for Children

Thornton W. Burgess

1919 · Early 20th Century · Collection

Thornton W. Burgess’s The Burgess Bird Book for Children (1919) teaches bird identification through Peter Rabbit’s visits in the Old Orchard, where Jenny Wren and neighbors speak in character while Burgess slips in real habits, songs, and looks. The method is story first, natural history second: children remember the House Wren because they met Jenny, then learn what to watch for outdoors.

AnimalsNature / LandscapeEducation