Order of Book Series
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Thornton W. Burgess Books in Order

72 books are credited to Thornton W. Burgess, published between 1906 and 2016; 22 of them appeared after Thornton W. Burgess's death in 1965. The first book is Lightfoot the Deer (1906) and the newest is Bobby Coon's Mistake (2016). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
72
Published
1906–2016
Pages on record
4,478 in 33 of 72 books
See all 72 books in order Printable Thornton W. Burgess checklist
Photo of Thornton W. Burgess, author

Thornton W. Burgess (1874-1965) was an American conservationist and author of children's stories who wrote more than 170 books and 15,000 stories for a daily newspaper column. The animal tales are the surviving work: Lightfoot the Deer (1906), Mother West Wind's Animal Friends (1912), The Adventures of Reddy Fox (1913), The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat (1914), The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver (1914) and The Adventures of Peter Cottontail (1914). Forest animals, birds, rabbits, mice, friendship and folklore fill them. Seventy-two titles are catalogued, gathered into the Bedtime Story Books, Old Mother West Wind and Smiling Pool series, at a median 96 pages.

How many Thornton W. Burgess books are there?

Thornton W. Burgess has 72 books, released between 1906 and 2016. 22 of them were published after Thornton W. Burgess's death in 1965. They include 5 series and 32 titles listed outside any series.

Thornton W. Burgess Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 72 Thornton W. Burgess books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of The Adventures of Reddy Fox by Thornton W. Burgess, book 1 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1913)
  2. Cover of The Adventures of Johnny Chuck by Thornton W. Burgess, book 2 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1913)
  3. Cover of Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess, book 3 of the Old Mother West Wind series (1914)
  4. Cover of The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat by Thornton W. Burgess, book 5 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1914)
  5. Cover of The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum by Thornton W. Burgess, book 6 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1914)
  6. Cover of The Adventures of Mr. Mocker by Thornton W. Burgess, book 7 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1914)
  7. Cover of Mother West Wind 'Why' Stories by Thornton W. Burgess, book 4 of the Old Mother West Wind series (1915)
  8. Cover of The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel by Thornton W. Burgess, book 9 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1915)
  9. Cover of The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse by Thornton W. Burgess, book 10 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1915)
  10. Cover of The Adventures of Sammy Jay by Thornton W. Burgess, book 11 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1915)
  11. Cover of The Adventures of Buster Bear by Thornton W. Burgess, book 12 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1916)
  12. Cover of The Adventures of Prickly Porky by Thornton W. Burgess, book 14 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1916)
  13. Cover of The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack by Thornton W. Burgess, book 16 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1917)
  14. Cover of Mother West Wind "Where" Stories by Thornton W. Burgess, book 6 of the Old Mother West Wind series (1918)
  15. Cover of The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk by Thornton W. Burgess, book 17 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1918)
  16. Cover of Billy Mink by Thornton W. Burgess, book 2 of the Smiling Pool series (1919)
  17. Cover of Mrs. Peter Rabbit by Thornton W. Burgess (1919)
  18. Cover of The Adventures of Ol' Mistah Buzzard by Thornton W. Burgess, book 20 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1919)
  19. Cover of The Adventures of Old Mr. Buzzard by Thornton W. Burgess, book 21 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1919)
  20. Cover of Whitefoot the Wood Mouse by Thornton W. Burgess (1922)
  21. Cover of The Burgess Flower Book For Children by Thornton W. Burgess (1923)
  22. Cover of The Adventures of Grandfather Frog by Thornton W. Burgess, book 22 of the Bedtime Story Books series (1943)
  23. Cover of The Dear Old Briar-Patch by Thornton W. Burgess (1947)
  24. Cover of Mr. Mocker GB by Thornton W. Burgess (1976)
  1. 1
    Lightfoot the Deer1906 · confirmed 1/4
    1906–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Mother West Wind's Animal FriendsOld Mother West Wind #11912 · confirmed 1/4
    1912–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    The Adventures of Reddy FoxBedtime Story Books #11913 · 86 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191386
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Mother West Wind's NeighborsOld Mother West Wind #21913 · confirmed 1/4
    1913–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    The Adventures of Johnny ChuckBedtime Story Books #21913 · 88 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191388
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    The Boy Scouts On Lost TrailBoy Scouts #11914 · confirmed 1/4
    1914–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    Old Mother West WindOld Mother West Wind #31914 · 96 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191496
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    The Adventures of Peter CottontailBedtime Story Books #31914 · 128 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1914128
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Adventures of Paddy the BeaverBedtime Story Books #41914 · confirmed 1/4
    1914–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Adventures of Jerry MuskratBedtime Story Books #51914 · 90 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191490
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    The Adventures of Unc' Billy PossumBedtime Story Books #61914 · 140 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1914140
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    The Adventures of Mr. MockerBedtime Story Books #71914 · 108 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1914108
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    The Adventures of Peter Cottontail and His Green Forest FriendsBedtime Story Books #81914 · 304 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1914304
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    The Boy Scouts in A Trapper's CampBoy Scouts #21915 · confirmed 1/4
    1915–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    Tommy and the Wishing Stone1915 · confirmed 1/4
    1915–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Mother West Wind 'Why' StoriesOld Mother West Wind #41915 · 108 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1915108
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    The Adventures of Chatterer the Red SquirrelBedtime Story Books #91915 · 92 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191592
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    The Adventures of Danny Meadow MouseBedtime Story Books #101915 · 80 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191580
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    The Adventures of Sammy JayBedtime Story Books #111915 · confirmed 1/4
    1915–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Longlegs the HeronSmiling Pool #11916 · confirmed 1/4
    1916–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    The Adventures of Buster BearBedtime Story Books #121916 · 80 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191680
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    The Adventures of Old Mr. ToadBedtime Story Books #131916 · confirmed 1/4
    1916–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    The Adventures of Prickly PorkyBedtime Story Books #141916 · 74 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191674
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    The Adventures of Old Man CoyoteBedtime Story Books #151916 · confirmed 1/4
    1916–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Mother West Wind "When" StoriesOld Mother West Wind #51917 · confirmed 1/4
    1917–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    The Adventures of Poor Mrs. QuackBedtime Story Books #161917 · 87 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191787
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    The Adventures of Happy Jack1918 · confirmed 1/4
    1918–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Mother West Wind "Where" StoriesOld Mother West Wind #61918 · 116 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1918116
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    The Adventures of Jimmy SkunkBedtime Story Books #171918 · 87 pages · confirmed 1/4
    191887
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    The Adventures of Bobby CoonBedtime Story Books #181918 · confirmed 1/4
    1918–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Thornton W. Burgess books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Bedtime Story Books in order

22 books
  1. 1. The Adventures of Reddy Fox
  2. 2. The Adventures of Johnny Chuck
  3. 3. The Adventures of Peter Cottontail
  4. 4. The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver
  5. 5. The Adventures of Jerry Muskrat
  6. 6. The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum
  7. 7. The Adventures of Mr. Mocker
  8. 8. The Adventures of Peter Cottontail and His Green Forest Friends
  9. 9. The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel
  10. 10. The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
  11. 11. The Adventures of Sammy Jay
  12. 12. The Adventures of Buster Bear
  13. and 10 more in the table above

Old Mother West Wind in order

8 books
  1. 1. Mother West Wind's Animal Friends
  2. 2. Mother West Wind's Neighbors
  3. 3. Old Mother West Wind
  4. 4. Mother West Wind 'Why' Stories
  5. 5. Mother West Wind "When" Stories
  6. 6. Mother West Wind "Where" Stories
  7. 7. Mother West Wind 'How' Stories
  8. 8. Mother West Wind's Children

Boy Scouts in order

4 books
  1. 1. The Boy Scouts On Lost Trail
  2. 2. The Boy Scouts in A Trapper's Camp
  3. 3. The Boy Scouts on Swift River
  4. 4. The Boy Scouts of Woodcraft Camp

Smiling Pool in order

4 books
  1. 1. Longlegs the Heron
  2. 2. Billy Mink
  3. 3. The Adventures of Little Joe Otter
  4. 4. Jerry Muskrat at Home

National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories in order

2 books
  1. 1. The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories
  2. 2. The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories: Volume Two

Standalone books

32 books

32 Thornton W. Burgess titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read Thornton W. Burgess books in order?

You only need to read Thornton W. Burgess books in order within each series: the books listed here span 5 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Thornton W. Burgess

Start with Lightfoot the Deer (1906), the earliest published title.

What is the newest Thornton W. Burgess book?

Bobby Coon's Mistake (2016) is the newest Thornton W. Burgess book released so far.

Is there a new Thornton W. Burgess book coming?

No next Thornton W. Burgess book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Thornton W. Burgess at a glance

Died
Thornton W. Burgess died in 1965, according to Wikidata.
After death
Books credited to Thornton W. Burgess are still being published after Thornton W. Burgess's death in 1965; the newest appeared in 2016.
Release pace
Thornton W. Burgess books have appeared about one every 2 years on average.
Length
4,478 pages across the 33 of 72 books with a recorded length, a median of 96 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Thornton W. Burgess books, 35 of 72, were published in the 1910s.

What the Thornton W. Burgess books are about

40 of the 72 Thornton W. Burgess books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: animals is tagged on 34 of 40. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.