author
Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
1874–1965
A beloved storyteller of the natural world, he turned forests, meadows, and marshes into lively neighborhoods where animal characters taught gentle lessons about kindness, caution, and curiosity. His books helped generations of young readers see wildlife with affection and respect.
45 Audiobooks
Old Mother West Wind
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Bowser the Hound
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Happy Jack
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Prickly Porky
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mother West Wind "How" Stories
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Old Granny Fox
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mother West Wind "Why" Stories
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Old Man Coyote
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Paddy Beaver
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Burgess Bird Book for Children
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mother West Wind "Where" Stories
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Johnny Chuck
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mrs. Peter Rabbit
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Bobby Coon
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Reddy Fox
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Blacky the Crow
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Lightfoot the Deer
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Whitefoot the Wood Mouse
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Sammy Jay
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mother West Wind's Children
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Buster Bear
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Grandfather Frog
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Bob White
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Boy Scouts in A Trapper's Camp
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mother West Wind's Animal Friends
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Mr. Mocker
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Lightfoot the Deer
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Mother West Wind "When" Stories
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Buster Bear's Twins
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Burgess Animal Book for Children
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Billy Mink
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Boy Scouts of Woodcraft Camp
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Christmas Reindeer
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Adventures of Peter Cottontail
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
The Wishing-Stone Stories
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
Little Joe Otter
by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
About the author
Born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, in 1874, Thornton W. Burgess became one of America’s best-known writers for children. He is especially remembered for beginning the Old Mother West Wind stories in 1910 and for creating enduring characters such as Peter Rabbit, Reddy Fox, Jerry Muskrat, and Grandfather Frog.
Burgess was more than a prolific author: he was also a naturalist and conservation advocate. Reliable biographical sources agree that he wrote more than 170 books and thousands of newspaper stories, using friendly animal tales to spark children’s interest in the outdoors and encourage care for the living world around them.
He died in 1965, but his stories have remained in print and in the public imagination. Part of their lasting charm is the way they mix cozy, bedtime-story warmth with close observation of animal behavior, making them inviting both for young listeners and for adults who remember them fondly.