For over 100 years, the animal books and stories of beloved children's author Thornton W. Burgess have delighted millions of children and their parents; more than of half his seventy books remain in print today. However, there was much more to Burgess, the man, than just a writer of children's books: he was a dedicated naturalist who was honored by prestigious scientific institutions for his advocacy of wildlife and conservation practices that resonate today. His books, syndicated columns, and radio programs both entertained and educated children, introducing them to wildlife habitat, species extinction, and roadside litter. Some books became the basis of Fables of the Green Forest, an internationally popular children's 1970s television cartoon. Nature's Ambassador explores Burgess's life and legacy, from his Cape Cod childhood to the present. With engaging text and historical pictures, this new biography will be a valuable addition to collections of historians, environmentalists, educators, librarians, and parents.
Table of Contents:
Foreword -- Introduction -- Part I. The Origins -- Chapter 1. A Cape Cod Childhood -- Chapter 2. Mayflowers and Water Lilies -- Chapter 3. A Place in the World at Large -- The Origins: Photos -- Part II. The Writer -- Chapter 4. A Writer Becomes an Author -- Chapter 5. Publishers, Markets, and Illustrators -- Chapter 6. New Directions -- Chapter 7. 'The Writer's Craft -- Chapter 8. Literary Perspective: This Appeal of Thornton Burgess -- The Writer: Photos -- Part III. The Naturalist -- Chapter 9. The Green Meadow Club and Bird Sanctuaries Program -- Chapter 10. Dr. William T. Hornaday, the Permanent Wildlife Fund and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act -- Chapter 11. Austin H. Clark and the Radio Nature League -- Chapter 12. Dr. Alfred O. Gross and the Heath Hen Surveys -- Chapter 13. Nature and Education -- Chapter 14. Natural Science Perspective: Issues and Honors -- The Naturalist: Photos -- Part IV. The Legacy -- Chapter 15. The Legacy of Place -- Chapter 16. The Legacy of Inspiration -- Chapter 17. The Legacy of Memories -- Chapter 18. The Legacy of Influence -- The Legacy: Photos -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Acknowledgments -- Index.
Christie Palmer Lowrance has worked as a freelance writer for more than thirty years. She also taught writing at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Cape Cod Community College. She lives in Sandwich, Massachusetts.