Free Reading Library
Classic Animal Stories for Reading & Learning
The Reading Library is your starting place for exploring the beloved stories of Thornton W. Burgess. Each book page is designed to support both reading enjoyment and meaningful learning, making it easy for parents and teachers to bring these classic tales to life.
Inside each book guide, you’ll find a short introduction to the story, thoughtful discussion prompts, and simple connections to nature and character education. These pages are meant to help guide conversations, spark curiosity, and deepen understanding.
Whether you’re reading aloud at home or using these stories in the classroom, this library offers a gentle framework for discussion, reflection, and discovery. Additional printable activities and study resources are available for those who want to extend the learning even further.
How to Use This Library
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Read the stories for free — one chapter at a time
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Use them for enjoyment, read-alouds, or literature study
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Pair with study packets (when available) if you’d like structured questions, vocabulary, writing prompts, and activities
Each story page includes gentle guidance and links to related study materials, but no worksheets or lesson plans are embedded directly into the story text. This keeps the reading experience simple and distraction-free.
Public Domain Notice
The stories shared in this library are public domain works, meaning they are no longer under copyright and may be legally read and shared.
Please note:
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The original story text is in the public domain
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All formatting, introductions, explanations, study packets, worksheets, and educational materials created by Burgess Books are original works and are protected by copyright
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Teaching guides and study packets are sold separately and are not included with the free story text
This approach allows us to honor these classic stories while continuing to create high-quality educational resources for today’s learners.
