Thornton W. Burgess 
The Adventures of Peter Cottontail 

Thornton W. Burgess was an important and influential American conservationist and a prolific author of entertaining and witty children’s stories. For over 50 years, Burgess published numerous popular books on the flora and fauna of the natural world and wrote a regular newspaper column called “Bedtime Stories”. Often affectionately referred to as the “Bedtime Story-Man”, Burgess celebrated his love for the natural world through humorous and educational stories for children in both his books and in his column. First published in 1914, “The Adventures of Peter Cottontail” features one of Burgess’ most popular characters. In this charming tale, Peter is up to his usual silliness as he tries to change his name, gets into constant mischief, and even tries unsuccessfully to hibernate with the woodland creatures. Peter’s adventures are comical and fun and are accompanied by important lessons in being true to oneself and kind to others. Burgess had a special ability to combine an educational story about the behaviors, habitats, and characteristics of the creatures of the natural world while also captivating audiences both young and old. This edition includes a biographical afterword and the original illustrations by Harrison Cady.