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Old Mother West Wind #6
Mother West Wind "How" Stories
At the edge of the old briar-patch sits Peter Rabbit -- staring into the sky, his head tipped so far back it makes his neck ache!
Up in the sky, a black speck sails across the snowy white face of a cloud. How could that little speck be alive, way up there? But Peter knows it is -- and he knows who it is: King Eagle, who, by and by, disappears over the Great Mountain. Peter rubs the back of his aching neck. Then he gives a little sigh.
"I wonder what it's like, to fly like that," he says . . . not knowing just how much he is soon to learn about his friends in the green forest and meadow -- and the adventures he will have, while learning!
Thornton W. Burgess (1874-1965) expressed his love of the outdoors in these delightful "How" tales about the ways of animals in the wild.
Up in the sky, a black speck sails across the snowy white face of a cloud. How could that little speck be alive, way up there? But Peter knows it is -- and he knows who it is: King Eagle, who, by and by, disappears over the Great Mountain. Peter rubs the back of his aching neck. Then he gives a little sigh.
"I wonder what it's like, to fly like that," he says . . . not knowing just how much he is soon to learn about his friends in the green forest and meadow -- and the adventures he will have, while learning!
Thornton W. Burgess (1874-1965) expressed his love of the outdoors in these delightful "How" tales about the ways of animals in the wild.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published November 21, 1997
20 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Thornton W. Burgess
819 books205 followersThornton W. (Waldo) Burgess (1874-1965), American author, naturalist and conservationist, wrote popular children's stories including the Old Mother West Wind (1910) series. He would go on to write more than 100 books and thousands of short-stories during his lifetime.
Thornton Burgess loved the beauty of nature and its living creatures so much that he wrote about them for 50 years in books and his newspaper column, "Bedtime Stories". He was sometimes known as the Bedtime Story-Man. By the time he retired, he had written more than 170 books and 15,000 stories for the daily newspaper column.
Born in Sandwich, Massachusetts, Burgess was the son of Caroline F. Haywood and Thornton W. Burgess Sr., a direct descendant of Thomas Burgess, one of the first Sandwich settlers in 1637. Thornton W. Burgess, Sr., died the same year his son was born, and the young Thornton Burgess was brought up by his mother in Sandwich. They both lived in humble circumstances with relatives or paying rent. As a youth, he worked year round in order to earn money. Some of his jobs included tending cows, picking trailing arbutus or berries, shipping water lilies from local ponds, selling candy and trapping muskrats. William C. Chipman, one of his employers, lived on Discovery Hill Road, a wildlife habitat of woodland and wetland. This habitat became the setting of many stories in which Burgess refers to Smiling Pool and the Old Briar Patch.
Graduating from Sandwich High School in 1891, Burgess briefly attended a business college in Boston from 1892 to 1893, living in Somerville, Massachusetts, at that time. But he disliked studying business and wanted to write. He moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he took a job as an editorial assistant at the Phelps Publishing Company. His first stories were written under the pen name W. B. Thornton.
Burgess married Nina Osborne in 1905, but she died only a year later, leaving him to raise their son alone. It is said that he began writing bedtime stories to entertain his young son, Thornton III. Burgess remarried in 1911; his wife Fannie had two children by a previous marriage. The couple later bought a home in Hampden, Massachusetts, in 1925 that became Burgess' permanent residence in 1957. His second wife died in August 1950. Burgess returned frequently to Sandwich, which he always claimed as his birthplace and spiritual home.
In 1960, Burgess published his last book, "Now I Remember, Autobiography of an Amateur Naturalist," depicting memories of his early life in Sandwich, as well as his career highlights. That same year, Burgess, at the age of 86, had published his 15,000th story. He died on June 5, 1965, at the age of 91 in Hampden, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 18, 2025
I have really pleasant memories of my father reading story selections from the Thornton Waldo Burgess library. I loved these books not only because my father was reading to my brother and I, but because we were spending quality time before bed. Dad would sit us down in the bottom bunk and read from a treasury edition of books. In the re-read, I could not help but think of my brother, who is no longer with us.
The Old Mother West Wind, "How" Stories by Burgess is about How some of the animals came to have distinctions in characteristics. In fact, every chapter / short story is titled with How... Chapter 1 is How Old King Eagle Won His White Head. Chapter 2 How Old Mr. Mink Taught Himself To Swim. Chapter 3 How Old Mr. Toad Learned To Sing.
These stories were published in a much more innocent time (1916) and so the milieu is nature in the Green Meadow, the Green Forest, and the surrounding environs of the Purple Hills, the Smiling Pool, and the Laughing Brook. Our characters are all of the wonderful animal denizens and these stories are delightful tales of beasts and how they behave. Super read, although my boys did not love these stories.
The Old Mother West Wind, "How" Stories by Burgess is about How some of the animals came to have distinctions in characteristics. In fact, every chapter / short story is titled with How... Chapter 1 is How Old King Eagle Won His White Head. Chapter 2 How Old Mr. Mink Taught Himself To Swim. Chapter 3 How Old Mr. Toad Learned To Sing.
These stories were published in a much more innocent time (1916) and so the milieu is nature in the Green Meadow, the Green Forest, and the surrounding environs of the Purple Hills, the Smiling Pool, and the Laughing Brook. Our characters are all of the wonderful animal denizens and these stories are delightful tales of beasts and how they behave. Super read, although my boys did not love these stories.
February 9, 2019
Thornton W. Burgess' little nature stories are as delightful in adulthood as in childhood, which is, as C. S. Lewis said, proof of a good children's book.
I hadn't visited The Green Meadows, the Green Forest, the Briar Patch, or the Smiling Pool in decades, but what fun to return and find Peter Rabbit, Grandfather Frog (the wise old storyteller), Billy Mink, King Bear, Mr. Weasel, Mr. Owl, Reddy the Squirrel, and all the other happy people (for people they are) who live and play and learn in the wonderful world Mr. Burgess constructed from the places of his childhood.
These would be wonderful stories to read to a grandchild (the dachshunds don't seem much interested), if I had a grandchild. After all, a child cannot grow aware of his or her heritage and the joys of nature through the dreary, spec-written nonsense commissioned by state agencies.
I hadn't visited The Green Meadows, the Green Forest, the Briar Patch, or the Smiling Pool in decades, but what fun to return and find Peter Rabbit, Grandfather Frog (the wise old storyteller), Billy Mink, King Bear, Mr. Weasel, Mr. Owl, Reddy the Squirrel, and all the other happy people (for people they are) who live and play and learn in the wonderful world Mr. Burgess constructed from the places of his childhood.
These would be wonderful stories to read to a grandchild (the dachshunds don't seem much interested), if I had a grandchild. After all, a child cannot grow aware of his or her heritage and the joys of nature through the dreary, spec-written nonsense commissioned by state agencies.
April 1, 2019
After reading the collection in 'Mother West Wind "Where" Stories', I figured the next collection read couldn't continue the same over used template in the last set. i was wrong. This book is much the same. Basically the same story over and over. Apparently Burgess had no ability to flesh out plots from any other angle. This collection is a wee better with a few stories having a bit more to them, but the concept is the same.
Adding to that is the title of the book. Two books in and I still not read one word about a "Mother West Wind". Also this one has "How" in the title as the last has "Where". Yet, the first book has nothing to do with "Where" and the "How" is questionable here.
I also don't care for the fantasy of this "Mother Nature" altering creatures as a plot device.
The writing is OK, beyond the repetitious wording.
Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 5 out of ten.
Adding to that is the title of the book. Two books in and I still not read one word about a "Mother West Wind". Also this one has "How" in the title as the last has "Where". Yet, the first book has nothing to do with "Where" and the "How" is questionable here.
I also don't care for the fantasy of this "Mother Nature" altering creatures as a plot device.
The writing is OK, beyond the repetitious wording.
Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 5 out of ten.
June 15, 2020
I grew up listening to my mother read to me Mother West Wind Why stories. I didn't realize there were more of these stories until I started to look up the book to read to my own children. I started reading this series to them many, many years ago. We only read them when we are camping (1 story each night before bed) and it has become a fun tradition. My children are 18,18, and 15 and still request a story. This book is very much the same as the Why stories. It is the same format with most of the same characters (we do very much miss Grandfather Frog in this one). These are very simple stories of how animals came to look, behave, or skilled as they are. We are now moving on to the Mother West Wind Where stories.
September 9, 2014
My 7 yr old gave these books a 5. I agree. "His books are awesome' she says.I liked the way morals were told in an entertaining way. I bet my daughter didn't feel she was being moralized at because she wanted to hear the whole book. I've tried others that had a distinct 'moral' or 'value' and she hates it.(Books that go ... is thankful or ... learns to be honest. blah.
Burgess books are interesting entertaining and a good read. Hopefully the little lessons learned by the animals were also learned and put away in the back of my daughter's mind!
But if not, that's ok. A book is meant to entertain and if it did that, that works for me.
They are a little 'old-fashioned' meaning the sun is called: Mr. round red jolly sun, the wind is Old Mother West Wind, a breeze is One of Mother West Wind's Children, the Merry Little Breezes etc. Quaint and not exactly science but endearing nonetheless. But other than that these books are science in story form. The stories are about real life things that frogs or bears or skunks do or could do. Unlike most books with animals as main characters where they learn to ride bikes, win the spelling bee at school etc. Beginning animal lore for young children. Or budding animal lovers.
If you miss any of these from your local library many are also on Gutenberg's free books site.
Personally I think that these should be re-released with new covers and realistic pictures so kids will read them again. After looking up Amazon, it seems they have been re-released in paperback form.
The books themselves:
Mother West Wind 'how' Stories:16 stories about how different animals received their special attributes- like Mink's waterproof coat, how flying squirrel got his wing flaps, tree-toads got their sticky feet and how the lynx got a tufty tail. Courage, hard work, helpfulness, pride are all woven into the stories
Mother West Wind 'When' Stories: 16 stories about how different animals and birds acquired a special attribute- like Hummer's long beak, or Bat's ability to fly. Often these special traits came from Mother Nature as a reward for courage, industriousness or gratitude.
Morals/ Values in the stories: courage, industriousness, gratitude, laziness, pride, being a sneak.
Mother West Wind's Children: The Merry Little Breezes are a curious group. They keep asking Grandfather Frog to tell them stories about why things are the way they are. Grandfather explains to them why Hooty the Owl doesn't come out during the day, why Bobby Coon washes his food, why Striped Chipmunk has pockets in his cheeks.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: Cheaters & thieves don't win, don't tell false tales, industry & hard work are rewarded, laugh at self- don't be a cry baby.
The Dear Old Briar Patch: The story of goings-on in the Briar Patch of Peter Rabbit. Mrs. Peter has babies but doesn't tell Peter. Why not?
Bob White: The story of Bob White (aka quail) and his family as they try to keep hidden from their many predators. One day little bob white is shot by a hunter. What will happen to him after his family flies away from the hunter?
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: Cheerfulness, wise planning, keeping secrets, anti-hunting for fun sentiments.
Bobby Coon: Poor Bobby awakes from his winter nap to find his tree being chopped down! He is injured in the fall but taken good care of by Farmer Brown' Boy His trial are not yet over. Bobby must find a new home but that is harder than he thinks.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: helping others, not worrying needlessly, losing your temper.
Old Mother West Wind: A group of stories with Mother West Wind or her Little Breezes helping the animals of the Meadow and forest. A couple of 'how the xxx got/ lost zzz' stories also that were quite entertaining.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: vanity, friendship, contentment, helpfulness.
Buster Bear: Buster moves to the Green Woods. This doesn't please the other animals because he takes 'their' fish, and they are frightened of him. But when the animals find out that Farmer Brown's Boy is afraid of Buster, they look at him with new eyes...until they find out the next personality trait Buster shows.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: temper, new friends come to the neighborhood.
Danny Meadow Mouse: Danny gets upset because he has a short tail. He also gets caught by Hooty the Owl, who wants him for dinner.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: greed, anger, envy, kindness, friendship, look before you leap.
Grandfather Frog: He decides it's time for him to see more of the world. A little risk keeps life exciting. He has some exciting adventures before discovering 'there's no place like home'.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: greed, mischieviousness, thoughtlessness, patience.
Old Man Coyote: Something is making a new sound in the Green Meadows/ Green Forest. The animals don't know what it could be. When it is discovered who has moved in, Granny Fox is determined to oust them from HER feeding grounds. Granny is in for a surprise because this stranger isn't easy to fool.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: courage, resisting temptation, good planning(less) (less)(less)
Burgess books are interesting entertaining and a good read. Hopefully the little lessons learned by the animals were also learned and put away in the back of my daughter's mind!
But if not, that's ok. A book is meant to entertain and if it did that, that works for me.
They are a little 'old-fashioned' meaning the sun is called: Mr. round red jolly sun, the wind is Old Mother West Wind, a breeze is One of Mother West Wind's Children, the Merry Little Breezes etc. Quaint and not exactly science but endearing nonetheless. But other than that these books are science in story form. The stories are about real life things that frogs or bears or skunks do or could do. Unlike most books with animals as main characters where they learn to ride bikes, win the spelling bee at school etc. Beginning animal lore for young children. Or budding animal lovers.
If you miss any of these from your local library many are also on Gutenberg's free books site.
Personally I think that these should be re-released with new covers and realistic pictures so kids will read them again. After looking up Amazon, it seems they have been re-released in paperback form.
The books themselves:
Mother West Wind 'how' Stories:16 stories about how different animals received their special attributes- like Mink's waterproof coat, how flying squirrel got his wing flaps, tree-toads got their sticky feet and how the lynx got a tufty tail. Courage, hard work, helpfulness, pride are all woven into the stories
Mother West Wind 'When' Stories: 16 stories about how different animals and birds acquired a special attribute- like Hummer's long beak, or Bat's ability to fly. Often these special traits came from Mother Nature as a reward for courage, industriousness or gratitude.
Morals/ Values in the stories: courage, industriousness, gratitude, laziness, pride, being a sneak.
Mother West Wind's Children: The Merry Little Breezes are a curious group. They keep asking Grandfather Frog to tell them stories about why things are the way they are. Grandfather explains to them why Hooty the Owl doesn't come out during the day, why Bobby Coon washes his food, why Striped Chipmunk has pockets in his cheeks.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: Cheaters & thieves don't win, don't tell false tales, industry & hard work are rewarded, laugh at self- don't be a cry baby.
The Dear Old Briar Patch: The story of goings-on in the Briar Patch of Peter Rabbit. Mrs. Peter has babies but doesn't tell Peter. Why not?
Bob White: The story of Bob White (aka quail) and his family as they try to keep hidden from their many predators. One day little bob white is shot by a hunter. What will happen to him after his family flies away from the hunter?
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: Cheerfulness, wise planning, keeping secrets, anti-hunting for fun sentiments.
Bobby Coon: Poor Bobby awakes from his winter nap to find his tree being chopped down! He is injured in the fall but taken good care of by Farmer Brown' Boy His trial are not yet over. Bobby must find a new home but that is harder than he thinks.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: helping others, not worrying needlessly, losing your temper.
Old Mother West Wind: A group of stories with Mother West Wind or her Little Breezes helping the animals of the Meadow and forest. A couple of 'how the xxx got/ lost zzz' stories also that were quite entertaining.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: vanity, friendship, contentment, helpfulness.
Buster Bear: Buster moves to the Green Woods. This doesn't please the other animals because he takes 'their' fish, and they are frightened of him. But when the animals find out that Farmer Brown's Boy is afraid of Buster, they look at him with new eyes...until they find out the next personality trait Buster shows.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: temper, new friends come to the neighborhood.
Danny Meadow Mouse: Danny gets upset because he has a short tail. He also gets caught by Hooty the Owl, who wants him for dinner.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: greed, anger, envy, kindness, friendship, look before you leap.
Grandfather Frog: He decides it's time for him to see more of the world. A little risk keeps life exciting. He has some exciting adventures before discovering 'there's no place like home'.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: greed, mischieviousness, thoughtlessness, patience.
Old Man Coyote: Something is making a new sound in the Green Meadows/ Green Forest. The animals don't know what it could be. When it is discovered who has moved in, Granny Fox is determined to oust them from HER feeding grounds. Granny is in for a surprise because this stranger isn't easy to fool.
Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: courage, resisting temptation, good planning(less) (less)(less)
September 30, 2020
2 stars & 2/10 hearts. I read this book because I knew some of them don’t have as many Mother Nature/evolution stories. This one had one story that wasn’t evolutionary. If you’re ok with stories about God changing animals after He created them you can probably edit these satisfactorily, but I really am not comfortable with this so I really can’t recommend it.
dnf
December 7, 2023Dnf. There were issues with the audio. The narrators sounded very young, which is great, but their reading wasn’t suited to my ears.
December 5, 2025
Older version 1st edition I think. better cover. This is probably the best of the series so far
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews