The Adventures of Bobby Raccoon
By Thornton W. Burgess
Published 1918
Deep in the Green Forest, Bobby Coon is snug in his hollow chestnut tree when he wakes to discover that something is terribly wrong. His familiar home is being cut down, and suddenly Bobby must face an uncertain future far different from the quiet winter he expected.
After an unexpected injury, Bobby receives help from Farmer Brown’s Boy and discovers that not everyone he fears means him harm. Before long, he is longing for the freedom of the Green Forest and ready to return to the life he knows best. But without his old tree to come home to, Bobby must search for a new place where he can feel safe and settled once again. Along the way, he encounters old friends, makes a few mistakes, and learns to adjust when life doesn’t go quite as planned.
The Adventures of Bobby Coon is a warm story about facing unexpected change, accepting kindness, and discovering that sometimes home can be found again in a brand-new place.
Main Themes: Adaptability, Kindness, and Home
Nature & Character Connection
Bobby Coon: The Sensitive Explorer
Raccoons are famous for their "hands"—front paws that are incredibly sensitive and dexterous. In nature, a raccoon uses its paws to "see" its food, often touching it underwater to gather sensory information (a behavior called dousing). Thornton Burgess translates this into Bobby’s character by making him the most "touch-oriented" animal in the forest. Bobby is always poking his nose and paws into hollow logs and crevices. This reflects the real-life raccoon’s role as an opportunistic forager who uses intelligence and physical skill to find food where others cannot.
The Masked Bandit: Nighttime Vision
The black "mask" around a raccoon's eyes isn't just for show; in the wild, it helps reduce glare and enhances night vision, much like the black streaks athletes wear under their eyes. Because Bobby is nocturnal, he is most active when the rest of the forest is sleeping. Burgess uses this to show the different "shifts" of the Green Forest. Bobby’s adventures often happen in the moonlight, highlighting how he sees a world that Peter Rabbit or Danny Meadow Mouse might completely miss during the day.
The Hollow Tree: The Importance of Habitat
In the story, Bobby’s life is turned upside down when his "house" (a hollow tree) is destroyed. In nature, raccoons are "cavity nesters," meaning they rely on old-growth trees with hollow centers for safety and warmth. This part of the book teaches a critical lesson about conservation: when a single old tree falls, an animal loses its entire world. Bobby’s struggle to find a new "sleeping place" illustrates the real-world challenge animals face when their habitats are changed by humans or storms.
Simple Activity Ideas
The "Mystery Bag" Challenge: To mimic how Bobby uses his paws to "see," place several household objects in a dark bag. Have students reach in and try to identify the objects using only their sense of touch—no peeking!
Night-Eye Experiment: In a safely darkened room, use a dim flashlight to see how "shiny" objects appear. Discuss how Bobby’s eyes are designed to catch every tiny bit of light in the Green Forest at night.
Home Search: Take a walk and look for "cavities" or hollows in trees, under rocks, or in logs. Discuss which ones would make a good home for an animal like Bobby and why.
Discussion Prompts
On Curiosity: Bobby gets into trouble because he wants to know what is inside things. When is curiosity a good thing, and when can it be dangerous?
On Moving On: How did Bobby feel when his tree was cut down? Have you ever had to move to a new place or start something over? How did you handle it?
On the "Mask": Why do you think people call raccoons "bandits"? Does Bobby act like a bandit in the story, or is he just trying to find a snack?
Morals & Values Learned
Resilience: Bobby shows us that even when we lose something important, we can be "sturdy" and find a new path.
Respect for Habitat: We learn that old trees and quiet corners of the woods are more than just scenery—they are homes.
The Weight of Choices: Bobby’s adventures remind us that we are responsible for the places we go and the things we poke our noses into!
Public Domain Notice: The original text of this book is in the public domain. Site layout, study guides, and supplemental materials are © burgess-books.com.
