The Classic Treasury of Animal Stories

Jo-Anne Naslund is an education librarian at the University of British
Columbia Library.

This anthology of more than 40 traditional and classic animal tales from
around the world includes works by Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, R.D.
Lawrence, Edward Lear, E. Nesbit, and Arthur Ransome. Canadian
contributors include Chief Dan George, E. Pauline Johnson, Farley Mowat,
Charles G.D. Roberts, and Ernest Thompson Seton. Notably absent are
Sheila Burnford, Walter Farley, James Harriet, Hugh Lofting, and
Marjorie Rawlings.

The literary selections are primarily fables, fairy tales, and folk
tales. There are three poetry selections and three Native legends. The
remaining selections are excerpts from such classics such as Black
Beauty, The Wind in the Willows, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The pieces are not arranged by theme or type of animal. The book
includes bibliographical data and brief biographies of the authors.
There are full-page color drawings and many small black-and-white ones.

Although fairly standard in its content and presentation, The Classic
Treasury of Animal Stories would serve as a useful reference for
teachers and librarians. Recommended.