3.5 stars & 4/10 hearts. This is a nostalgic read for me, since it’s one of the first books I read. It’s humorous, it’s got good lessons, and it’s got a touch of suspense as well. 

A Favourite Quote: “Sammy is so used to hearing bad things about himself that to hear something nice like that pleased him immensely. ... He forgot how Paddy had made him the laughingstock of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows by cutting down the very tree in which he had been sitting. He forgot everything but that Paddy had trusted him to keep watch and now was saying nice things about him. He made up his mind that he would deserve all the nice things that Paddy could say, and he thought that Paddy was the finest fellow in the world.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Hello, Mr. Jay. I see you haven't any better manners than your cousin who lives up where I come from,’ said [Paddy].
“‘Thief! thief! thief!’ screamed Sammy, hopping up and down, he was so angry. 
“‘Meaning yourself, I suppose,’ said Paddy. ‘I never did see an honest Jay, and I don't suppose I ever will.’”

Wonderful tale.

Thornton W. Burgess used his animal tales to educate children about the ways of animals and teach life lessons. The amusing stories of various creatures of the forest make for charming tales that are so fun and interesting that the children of yesteryear may not have even noticed that they were learning a few things.

Burgess's The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver (1917) is no different. Paddy moves to the Green Woods and sets about making a home for himself. First he must build a dam and create a pond big enough to hold his lodge. All the creatures who live in the wood are curious about their new neighbor and come to watch him work. His cousin Jerry Muskrat doesn't understand his building methods and is quite sure he's doing it all wrong. But nothing bothers Paddy--not even Ol' Mr. Coyote who stalks the banks at night hoping for a tasty beaver sandwich--and soon they all find out what kind of builder Paddy is.

Burgess's story gives accurate information about how beavers build their dams and homes; what beavers like best to eat; what their habits are; and how they are related to other woodland animals. He also sprinkles the story with little morals like

...when Paddy begins work, he sticks to it until it is finished. He says that is the only way to succeed, and you know and I know that he is right.

So now he knew just what to do and the best way of doing it. You know a great many people waste time and labor doing things the wrong way, so they have to be done over again. They forget to be sure they are right, and so they go ahead until they find they are wrong, and all their work goes for nothing.

You see, Paddy was much bigger than most of the little meadow and forest people, and they didn't know what kind of a temper he might have. It is always safest to be very distrustful of strangers...So now he was perfectly willing to go right on working and let his hidden visitors watch him until they were sure that he meant them no harm.

He also teaches children about friendship. Showing them that (in the case of Sammy Jay), the best way to have a friend is to be one.

This is a lovely vintage children's book--on that I bought primarily because it's about a beaver. I collect beavers (stuffed animals, figurines, Christmas ornaments, books...) in short because my name means "beaver meadow." Burgess has a series of these books that feature various animals and I'm quite sure they would all be just as charming.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

I liked it. It's about Paddy the Beaver and him building his dam and all the people who visit him and how he almost gets caught by Old Man Coyote.

My kids loved it. Which cracked me up. I think the stories are all those old fashioned with a moral in every chapter, not particularly going anywhere with the plot, kind of book. But they gave it 5 stars....

Good for kindergarten and up.

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 they are also on Gutenberg's free books site.

Personally I think that these should be re-released with new covers so kids will read them again.

The books themselves:

Adventures of Paddy the Beaver: Paddy, who moved into the Green Woods is building a dam. All the animals are curious and come to watch. Old Man Coyote discovers Paddy is in the neighbourhood and expects he will make an easy dinner. Paddy also makes friends with Sammy Jay!

Morals/ values/ lessons intertwined in the book: hard work, trust, planning ahead, paying attention.

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

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.

Words, language and the beauty of a story well told has been all but lost on the contemporary reader, myself included! I was reminded of this as I listened to this delightful tale narrated by a lovely trained reader whose interpretation of these animal adventures took me to a beautiful green forest where well designed animal characters live.
I did not know to appreciate such literature when I was a child and even as a young mother but now, as I peruse children's libraries with my grandchildren, I am struck by how we have lost the love and appreciation for the beauty of well crafted words as we spin tales for children. How has this happened? Must we return to literature written in the early 20th century? If so, I highly recommend these Thornton W. Burgess's animal adventures! We can be thankful that this gifted children's author wrote over 170 book in his lifetime!

I liked when they were building a water path, Sammy Jay was helping. Done.

I love when I am pleasantly surprised by something I've never heard of and just stumbled upon! This was a delightful tale of Paddy Beaver and all of his woodland friends. I was expecting something like Beatrix Potter, but Burgess kept his characters real to life: we learn how Paddy builds the dam and his house and stores food for the winter while interacting with the wildlife around him; Ol' Mr. Coyote spends the entire tale hunting Paddy while Sammy Jay squawks loudly whenever he spots Coyote around; Jerry Muskrat is Paddy Beaver's cousin yet is confused by Paddy's house building techniques. All of the characters are charming (and the narrator did a wonderful job doing different voices for each one!)