Secrets of the Woods

Wood Folk #3

by William Joseph Long

Vivid sketches of the wood-mouse, otter, kingfisher, red squirrel, partridge, deer, and other wood folk. Through his anecdotes the author shares with the reader what can be learned of the habits of animals through keen observation over a long period of time-details that elude the casual visitor to the woods.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Science, Animals, School, Natural History, Classics

164 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1899

About the author

William Joseph Long (1867-1952) was an American writer, naturalist and minister. He lived and worked in Stamford, Connecticut as a minister of the First Congregationalist Church.

Reviews

[Wendy Jones]

“For weeks I had looked longingly out of college windows as the first tracking snows came sifting down, my thoughts turning from books and the problems of human wisdom to the Winter Woods, with their wide white pages written all over by the feet of wild things. Then the sun would shine again, and I knew that the records were washed clean, and the hard packed leaves as innocent of footmarks as the beach where plover feed when a great wave has chased them away.”

It is rare to me to find an author that makes you embrace slowing down for the read. William Long’s eloquently worded stories of his adventures in the woods not only shine brightly on the respect and love of nature that he had, but also highlighted the beauty of quiet solitude in God’s creation. He loved to enter into Creation’s world rather than lord his dominion over it. I loved this book, and sighed longingly when it was over.

[Heather Gorsett]

Nature lore that transports you to a different time and place where the clock slows down so that you can notice all the details of the woods folk.

[Katja Labonté]

5+ stars. This is one of my all-time favourite books. So far, every one of Long's books about nature have made it to that category. I love his gentleness and his care for the wild wood folk. He knows what he says and he says is so beautifully and clearly, you see it before your eyes. It brings a deeper appreciation for the woods, especially as they were before. Long doesn't anthropologize his animals, but he does make them live. Surely there is nothing so beautiful as his descriptions of a doe and her fawn, or anything so thrilling as the buck as he is hunted. This particular book has very few or no mentions of Mother Nature or evolution.

A Favouirte Quote: “I would only suggest that perhaps the real reason why we see so little in the woods is the way we go through them—talking, laughing, rustling, smashing twigs, disturbing the peace of the solitudes by what must seem strange and uncouth noises to the little wild creatures. They, on the other hand, slip with noiseless feet through their native coverts, shy, silent, listening, more concerned to hear than to be heard, loving the silence, hating noise and fearing it, as they fear and hate their natural enemies.”
A Favouirte Beautiful Quote: “‘I see little 'Fraid One',’ [the Indian] said, unconsciously dropping into his own dialect, which is the softest speech in the world, so soft that wild things are not disturbed when they hear it, thinking it only a louder sough of the pines or a softer tunking of ripples on the rocks.”
A Favourite Humourous Quote: “When his fish is seized [the otter] makes a bee line under the ice for the nearest place where he can breathe and eat. Sometimes this lands him, out of breath, in the beaver's tunnel; and the beaver must sit upstairs in his own house, nursing his wrath, while Keeonekh eats fish in his hallway; for there is not room for both at once in the tunnel, and a fight there or under the ice is out of the question.”

[Lauren Fee]

I like William Long's musings. They always make me wish I had the time and confidence to get lost in nature like he did.

[Isabella Leake]

This was a beautiful, lyrical, quite arresting account of William Long’s encounters with forest animals (wood mice, grouse, otters, squirrels, kingfishers, deer). Long speaks from experience after years of close-hand observation—he seems to spend all his spare time in the wilderness—and so offers the kind of vivid, detailed firsthand account that goes far beyond the basic information of a fieldguide or textbook. I loved reading it and felt inspired to observe more closely and expect to see more when out in nature myself.

My children found the book difficult. After some angst, I concluded that’s not a bad thing. The language is elevated, but not just in terms of vocabulary: Long’s whole way of writing is allusive and metaphorical. I was tempted to “translate” and sometimes did—but after reading A Philosophy of Education I tried harder to restrain myself and let the narrative wash over us. If they got nothing else out of it, I hope my children were impressed by the wonder and majesty and complexity of forest life, a subject that difficult books and grown-up authors spend lots of time exploring.

[Brit Chhangur]

AO form 1 read, and we all really loved it! He sits in the woods and writes about wild animals, and it’s quite fascinating. We fell in love with otters and now every red squirrel is Meeko!

2025--read again with my current Form 1 crew. (Lucy finishing, but Knox will loop around and get the first part starting next year.)

[John Yelverton]

An amateur naturalist waxes whimsy as he tells of his exploring in the woods and noting animal behavior. The use of dialects and Indian names makes it very difficult to get a hold of the story in places, and therefore doesn't make for very pleasant reading.

[Shannon]

A consummate living book, probably what you imagine always reading in your ideal vision of a Charlotte Mason education. Other books may end up missing the mark, but this one hits the bullseye. Beautiful, moving, story-driven, and memorable. My kids loved narrating this both verbally and in writing. It created both a knowledge of and a respectful love for nature. I ordered two more William Long books in the middle of reading this one.

[Adayla]

A beautiful, interesting, relaxing book. It was such a breath of fresh air in the midst of the busy.

[Maggie Allyn]

Great read!

My 8 year old son says it's one of the best books he's ever read. "Especially the chapter about Meeko the squirrel, because he's such a funny critter."

[Katie]

Delightful. I'm not sure there is a better word for this book. Long's writings makes me want to get way out in the woods to just sit quietly. To observe, contemplate, form relationships. Since beginning this book, I've found myself and my kids taking much greater interest in the behaviors of the little creatures in our own back yard. I highly recommend Long to anyone who love animals and nature - or who wants to learn to love them.

[Sarah]

A slow and steady nature lore book. It took the kids and I almost 5 months to read this book, but it was one of their favourite read alouds this year. We enjoyed hearing William Longs’ observations of the wood-folks.
We had our favourites, Tookhees, the Fraid One and the sad fate of Meeko the mischief maker, and the amusing drumming of the ruffed grouse.
Have you heard of drumming? The kids giggled when we watched a video of a grouse attracting its mate.

[Cathy]

I liked the book fairly well at least the first part, although at times the style went between describing the animal in the woods (preferred) to almost poetic (not sure what to call it, but not of my liking). Also, I thought it was a good book for reading about the animals in the woods, until later in the book when he started talking at length about details in the hunting and killing of animals - definitely NOT of my liking!

[Mikhai Vasile]

Almost rated it a three as some parts dragged on too much for my liking, but some of the passages, especially the ones conveying the relationship between man and animal, and man and nature, and the waiting attitude one needs to have when interacting with nature, are particularly beautiful and moving.

[Jenny]

Some animal books are a huge win in our house. Others, not quite so much. The Secrets of the Woods was one the kids enjoyed, but didn't love.

It's a gentle, affectionate look at the furry and feathered denizens of the woods, chronicled by a patient, caring watcher. It's a book well worth reading for any family looking to better connect with nature in this flashy, digital world.

[Rod Myers]

Refreshing

Refreshing book to show what can be learned when we slow down and observe what goes on around us. The descriptions made you feel you were there watching with him. Loved it.

[Laura]

I read this with my second grader in our homeschool. Unfortunately it was a miss (one of the only misses this year from titles we chose from the Ambleside Online booklists)—it just didn’t capture our attention and we reluctantly pushed our way through the last chapters.

[LeAnna]

Could've done without the faux Native American linguistic stereotypes in certain chapters, but otherwise a lovely book. Long's descriptive writing really draws you into the book and is good at conveying mood and tension throughout.

[Emily]

The best part was his infusion of naturalism into the stories about different woodland creatures. It was written in 1899, and I was too bored by the loose narratives to give it to my nephew as intended. He may have been E.B. White’s favorite children’s book author, but it wasn’t for me.

[Lindsay B]

It was ok. But kind of boring to. All it was about was this guy telling you what animals he saw and what they were doing. 😒

[Emery]

Wasn't that crazy about it.😒

[Jessica Briggs]

Sweet stories of nature that helped us appreciate the “peaty creatures” (eg., squirrels) in our own back yard. Nice story form and equally good information for the science.

[Heather Bork]

Part of our homeschool curriculum. I read it to my 3rd grader. It was such an exceptional look at the ways of the wood folk through the eyes of a woodsman and naturalist.

[RAW]

Read during MT. Interesting way to read about nature and animals.

[Lindsey]

This was fun and 10yo enjoyed hearing about the animals on most days. His attention to detail and ability to describe was great.

[Katie Klein]

I really loved these stories and especially how he highlights the need to sit in stillness to see and observe so much. My son also enjoyed this book!

[Amanda Mills]

Read aloud to S & A for AOY3

[Staci]

Two of my kids (10, 8) and I read this for their school. We really liked the earlier stories, but the deer story at the end of the book really lagged.

[Megan]

We really enjoyed the early chapters, but the part about the deer at the end felt less delightful.

[A Hoppy Reader]

3.5 stars