Sleepy-Time Tales
By Arthur Scott Bailey

Notes

Titles

 

"Peter Mink had a bag in his hand"

 

A WORD TO GROWN UPS

To you -- parents, guardians, teachers, and all others  upon whom devolves the supremely important responsibility of directing the early years of development of childhood, this series of TUCK-ME-IN TALES which sketch such vivid and delightful scenes of the  vibrant life of meadow and woodland should have  tremendous appeal. In this collection of stories you will find precisely the sort of healthy, imaginative entertainment that is an essential in stimulating thought-germs in the  child mind.

Merely from the standpoint of their desirability for helping the growing tot to pass an idle half hour, any one of those volumes would be worth your while. But the author had something further than that in mind, He has, with simplicity and grace, worthy of high commendation, sought to convey a two-fold lesson throughout the entire series, the  first based upon natural history and the second upon the elementary principles of living which should be  made clear to every child at the  earliest age  of understanding.

The first of these aims he has accomplished by adapting every one of his bird characters to its living counterpart in the realm of biology. The child learns  very definite truths about which the story is woven; learns in such a fascinating manner that he will not quickly forget, and is brought into such pleasant intimacy that his immediate sympathy is aroused.

The author accomplishes the prupose of driving home simple lessons on good conduct by attributing the many of the same traits to his feathered heroes and heroines that are to be found wherever the human race has made its habitation. The praise-worthy qualities of courage, love, unselfishness, truth, industry, and humility are  portrayed in the dealings of the field and forest folk and the consequential reward of these  virtues is clearly shown; he also reveals the unhappy results of greed, jealousy, trickery and other character  weaknesses. The effect is to impress indelibly upon the imagination of the child that certain deeds are their own desirable reward while certain others are much better left undone.

If any further recommendation is necessary, would it not be well to resort to the court of final appeal, the child himself? Simply purchase a trial copy from your bookseller with the understanding that if it meets with the disapproval of the little man or woman for whom it is intended, he  will accept its return.

The description above, found in The Tale of Peter Mink, is followed by a list of books, none of which are actually listed in the 'Sleepy-Time Tales' list in the front of the book.

I'm sure about the order of the first ten books. The rest of the list is reconstructed from WorldCat holdings and ordered by publication date, so it may be slightly misordered or incomplete.

 

  1.  The Tale of Cuffy Bear -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1915, Grosset & Dunlap.

  2. The Tale of Frisky Squirrel -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1915, Grosset & Dunlap.

  3. The Tale of Tommy Fox -- Illustrated by Joseph B. Guzie. 1915, Grosset & Dunlap.

  4. The Tale of Fatty Coon -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1915, Grosset & Dunlap.

  5. The Tale of Billy Woodchuck -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  6. The Tale of Jimmy Rabbit -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  7. The Tale of Peter Mink -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  8. The Tale of Sandy Chipmunk -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  9. The Tale of Brownie Beaver -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap

  10. The Tale of Paddy Muskrat -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  11. The Tale of Dickie Deer Mouse  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  12. The Tale of Ferdinand Frog  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1918, Grosset & Dunlap.

  13. The Tale of Benny Badger  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1919, Grosset & Dunlap.

  14. The Tale of Timothy Turtle  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1916, Grosset & Dunlap.

  15. The Tale of Chirpy Cricket  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1920, Grosset & Dunlap.

  16. The Tale of Bobby Bobolink  -- Illustrated by ???. 1920, Grosset & Dunlap.

  17. The Tale of Grumpy Weasel  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1920, Grosset & Dunlap.

  18. The Tale of Grandfather Mole  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1920, Grosset & Dunlap.

  19. The Tale of Master Meadow Mouse  -- Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. 1921, Grosset & Dunlap.

  20. The Tale of Nimble Deer  -- Illustrated by Diane Petersen. 1922, Grosset & Dunlap.

Source:

The Tale of Peter Mink, 1916, Grosset & Dunlap

WorldCat holdings

Mary Crosson's "Plain Jane" Series Listings Main Page