Old Mother West Wind [Paperback]

Thornton W Burgess (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

These stories were first collected in " Old Mother West Wind." The volume was the first of over seventy books for Mr. Burgess. His characters--Peter Rabbit, Reddy Fox, Sammy Jay, Happy Jack Squirrel, Johnny Chuck, Jimmy Skunk, and more--are well known to Burgess fans around the world. The Golden Anniversary Edition of "Old Mother West Wind" is now being issued in paperback, bringing these well-loved tales to a whole new generation of children.

Editorial Reviews

Review

for "high entertainment, educational and production values" -- Parent's Choice Seal of Approval, 1995 --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

About the Author

Thornton Burgess (1874-1965) wrote over 70 books, including eight classic Mother West Wind titles. He was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 140 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (May 30, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316116556
• ISBN-13: 978-0316116558
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,506,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless tales your children will LOVE, July 2, 2001

By 

sillygirl412 "sillygirl412" (Ossining, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Mother West Wind (Dover Children's Thrift Classics) (Paperback)

"Old Mother West Wind", is the first of many stories by Burgess of his imagined world of The Green Forest, the Laughing Brook, and the Smiling Pond. Originally published in 1910, it is based upon a series of bedtime stories Burgess wrote for his son. The characters are inspired by the variety of wildlife Burgess was surrounded by as a child growing up in the yet-uncommercialized Cape Cod, Mass. His love of nature and his desire to instill that love in future generations is conveyed beautifully in these classic tales.

Old Mother West Wind comes down to the Green Meadows from her home in the Purple Hills daily to allow her children, the Merry Little Breezes, to frolic among the residents of the area. In "Old Mother West Wind", you are introduced to many of the characters upon which later books in this series are based. As the back of the book states, "[This book] combines gentle lessons about wildlife and the environment with the fun of a good story". In addition, most tales contain a basic moral lesson (ie. don't steal, don't lie, etc).

Any imaginative child will be captivated by this book. The chapters are short, with simple language that children will identify with, for the most part. Read aloud to pre-readers, or read by children themselves, this book will surely be a family favorite in no time.

This republication by Dover Children's Thrift Editions costs only a dollar. If you are looking to fill in your child's library a little whithout breaking the bank, I highly recommend starting here (and with the other Burgess books). You'll be glad you did.

Note: the next book in publication in this series is the Adventures of Johnny Chuck. While it is not necessary to read the books in order, I just wanted to add that info in case anyone wanted to know.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Old stories never die--they just grow longer tales., July 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Mother West Wind (Audio Cassette)

I read this book when I was in third grade. I have never lost my imaginative love of nature inspired by Old Mother West Wind and her Gentle Breezes. I was thrilled when I found that these books had been republished--and have bought them to read to my grandchildren one day. Now--if I could just get my children married. . . .

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real literature with delightful language and characters., August 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Mother West Wind (Turtleback)

I love this book as much now as I did in the 40's and 50's when it was read to me! The author keeps the stories short enough for young attention spans, yet makes the characters spring to life. I have never forgotten the Merry Little Breezes and the Green Forest. Children today will love the stories, too.