The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver (Dover Children's Thrift Classics)

(This review is for the paperback edition published by Dover Publications in 2000)This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. Plus, unlike many of these Dover editions of Thornton Burgess' books, it has honest-to-god original Harrison Cady illustrations.Harrison Cady did two sets of drawings for this title:-- Published by Little, Brown, with 6 full-page grayscale illustrations.-- Published by Grosset & Dunlap, with 14 full-page line drawings, including line-drawing versions of all 6 original grayscale illustrations in the Little, Brown editions, plus many smaller line drawings.Cady had also made a small illustration for each chapter for the original newspaper serialization of this story in 1914. Each of those was one newspaper column wide.This Dover edition has all the drawings, both full-page and small, from the Grosset & Dunlap editions. And they are very nicely reproduced. The only thing the Grosset & Dunlap editions have over this Dover edition is that the "Large, Easy-To-Read Type" might be easier on early readers. But if you're reading to your young kids, as I am, this Dover edition, with far more words per page, has the advantage that the pictures are in front of your kids longer and for a higher proportion of pages.Oddly, the copyright page says "This Dover edition is an unabridged republication of the work first published by Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, in 1917. It contains the original Harrison Cady illustrations." But that is not quite true. Aside from the front cover, it does not contain the 6 Cady illustrations from the 1917 Little, Brown edition. Instead, it contains the 14 Cady illustrations from the 1951 Grosset & Dunlap edition.If you like these illustrations, you might want to also look for a used Little, Brown edition. The Little, Brown grayscale illustrations better show Cady's remarkable vision for Burgess' creatures. But even so, I generally prefer the Grosset & Dunlap illustrations, because they are more charming, even though they are simpler. Cady did them decades later, after he had grown as an artist.Anyway, kudos to Dover on getting it so right for this title. And at such a low price!

I love these books. They're well written, use excellent vocabulary, teach kids about animals, and teach great life lessons. I read this every year to my kindergarten students. They beg for more. Paddy the Beaver teaches the value of hard work.

My girlfriend told me she had read this series as a child but thought they were out of print. I purchased them as a gift for her family to share and they love them. I've read some of the stories at night to my children - 3, 6 and 7. They enjoy the stories. My 7 year old has read some but it may be more appropriate for an older reader. Some of the antics take place over several short chapters and need to be summarized so the kids can follow - for example, one animal tricks another animal into going into a barrel lying on its side at the top of a hill (can you see a problem!). The barrel rolls down the hill and the animal looks out and sees another animal who gets the blame. Overall, fun for kids and grownups (MUCH better than Junie B. Jones!)

This is a cute story about woodland animals. It emphasizes good character traits among the animals and also accurately portrays the habits of the animals (in this case, how a beaver builds his dam and what he eats). It would be a great read-aloud for parents to read to kids 4-8 and a perfect beginning chapter book for a second or third grade student to read to him/herself. Though this is an old story (1917) it subtly gives positive environmental and personal behavior messages. I purchased this and other from Thornton Burgess for my grandchildren, ages 5-7.

I recieved the book within the estimated arrival time that was furnished at time of purchase. The book was bought as a used in good condition. The book actually appears to be practically new. Not a mark has been found, no wear nor tears. My boys are enjoying reading the "new" book. My oldest is 8 so he does most of the reading. I am looking forward to our next purchase of a Burgess book.

Burgess books made my son who felt reading was a chore turn into a total bookworm, highly recommend

I loved this series when I was growing up and really sparked a love of reading for me. The stories are engaging and the continuity between the stories made me want to read more. They also helped me appreciate nature and the outdoors. I bought them for my daughters hoping they will have the same experience as I did.

I bought this book for my grandson. I loved these books as a child

intelligent books

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 planningBobby 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.

Got the series for my children. My mother m read me these when I was a child. Wonderful memories.

livre anglophone broché souple en papier recyclé format moyen réédition récente (2000) d'un classique de 1917 faisant partie d'une grande série d'histoires animalières pour enfants valorisant la protection de la faune nord-américaine; dans cet épisode, on assiste aux aventures de Paddy le castor au sein de la communauté des animaux de la Forêt Verte; cette fable un peu moraliste mais tellement attendrissante ravira tous les enfants et même les plus grands à l'heure où les préoccupations de protection de la faune sont devenues plus partagées (l'auteur pourrait être considéré comme visionnaire pour l'époque!); les illustrations sont indigentes dans cette édition bon marché (quelques gravures n&b) mais ce petit livre est à acheter sans réserve pour lire ou faire lire à vos enfants ou petits-enfants soit en le traduisant soit directement en anglais dès qu'ils se seront familiarisés avec cette langue!

I love Beavers, and loved this book. Tis series of books can be read by anyone, not just children. THe series would make a great Childrens Lit. Course. This is one book that I will read and reread.