This book gives the reader insight into the world of Thornton Burgess, the prominent author of children’s animal bedtime story books, and a pioneer in the environmental beautification and conservation movement. It gives information on the life of Burgess, and things to see and do in the area near Sandwich, Massachusetts, where he grew up. The book further relates how his boyhood experiences in a rural setting influenced him to formulate the imaginary backdrop for these stories, and tells how a tragedy in his life as a young man led to the writing of classic bedtime stories for children, beloved for almost a century. As a single father who of necessity had to be away from his young son, he started writing these stories as a way of imparting wisdom to his little boy, while at the same time entertaining the child when he could not be present to tell him a bedtime story. Burgess drew on the many animals he saw in the natural woodland surroundings of his own childhood and created situations for the animals such as children usually face growing up. Many of the stories begin with a clever rhyme that teaches a moral. For instance, "It isn't any use to cry! Not a bit, not a bit! Wife your eyes and wipe 'em dry; Use your wit! Use your wit!" Another example: "When thing go wrong in spite of you, To smile's the best thing you can do-- To smile and say,'I'm mighty glad, they are no worse; they're not so bad!' Many bedtime stories are included. Some of the original black and white illustrations of the stories in this book have been colorized and add the reader’s enjoyment if read on a color e-reader.
