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The Burgess Animal Book for Children
The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is here in full — 183 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Burgess Animal Book for Children
Context Illustration Reading 1/36 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.
You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.
Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.
As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.
Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is here in full — 183 sentences across 37 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/36 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.
/wen skuːl wɑːz kɔːld tuː ˈɔːrdər ðə ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ ˈmɔːrnɪŋ nɑːt wʌn wɑːz ˈmɪsɪŋ/
Line 2
You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.
Line 3
Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.
Line 4
As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.
Line 5
Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Chipmunk noun US /ˈtʃɪpməŋk/

a burrowing ground squirrel of western America and Asia; has cheek pouches and a light and dark stripe running down the body

From this reading “As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.”

furnishing noun US /ˈfɜːrnɪʃɪŋ/

(usually plural) accessory wearing apparel

From this reading “Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.”

Jumper noun US /ˈdʒʌmpər/

a person who jumps

From this reading “As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.”

narrowly adverb US /ˈneroʊli/

in a narrow manner; not allowing for exceptions

From this reading “Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.”

Prickly adjective US /ˈprɪkli/

very irritable

From this reading “You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.”

Skunk noun US /skʌŋk/

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

From this reading “You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.”

Squirrel noun US /ˈskwɜːrəl/

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading “Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.”

Striped adjective US /straɪpt/

marked or decorated with stripes

From this reading “As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.”

All words in this reading · 98

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

Chatterernoun

an obnoxious and foolish and loquacious talker

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

ChipmunknounUS /ˈtʃɪpməŋk/

a burrowing ground squirrel of western America and Asia; has cheek pouches and a light and dark stripe running down the body

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

ChuckverbUS /tʃʌk/

throw carelessly

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/

in mental comfort; without stress

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

Danny

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

dinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/

a deliberate act of omission

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

feelingsnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋz/

emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

folknounUS /foʊk/

people in general (often used in the plural)

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

followingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ/

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

forgetverbUS /fərˈɡet/

dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

FoxnounUS /fɑːks/

alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

furnishingnounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪʃɪŋ/

(usually plural) accessory wearing apparel

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

GraynounUS /ɡreɪ/

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

HappyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

HarenounUS /her/

swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs; young born furred and with open eyes

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

imagineverbUS /ˌɪˈmædʒən/

form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

JacknounUS /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

JimmyverbUS /ˈdʒɪmi/

to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

JohnnynounUS /ˈdʒɑːni/

“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

JumpernounUS /ˈdʒʌmpər/

a person who jumps

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

knowingadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊɪŋ/

evidencing the possession of inside information

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

lessonnounUS /ˈlesən/

a unit of instruction

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

MeadownounUS /ˈmedoʊ/

a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

minutesnounUS /ˈmɪnəts/

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

missedadjectiveUS /mɪst/

not caught with the senses or the mind

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

missingadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsɪŋ/

not able to be found

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

MousenounUS /maʊs/

any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

narrowlyadverbUS /ˈneroʊli/

in a narrow manner; not allowing for exceptions

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/

disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

Porky

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

PricklyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪkli/

very irritable

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

RabbitnounUS /ˈræbət/

any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

RednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

Reddy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

seatedadjectiveUS /ˈsiːtɪd/

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

SkunknounUS /skʌŋk/

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

SquirrelnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəl/

a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

steppedverbUS /stept/

inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

StripedadjectiveUS /straɪpt/

marked or decorated with stripes

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Just imagine the feelings of these little people when, just as they had comfortably seated themselves for the morning lesson, Reddy himself stepped out from behind a tree.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

treenounUS /triː/

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Even Happy Jack the Gray Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, tree folk though they were, had many times narrowly missed furnishing Reddy with a dinner.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When school was called to order the following morning not one was missing.

Whitefoot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

WoodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading As for Johnny Chuck and Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare and Striped Chipmunk and Danny Meadow Mouse and Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, there were few hours of day or night when they did not have Reddy in mind, knowing that to forget him even for a few minutes might mean the end of them.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You see, with the exception of Jimmy Skunk and Prickly Porky, there was not one in whose life Reddy Fox did not have a most important part.

Chapter 26 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess holds 183 sentences, grouped into 37 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 26 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children contain?

Chapter 26 holds 183 sentences of The Burgess Animal Book for Children, unabridged, divided into 37 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 183 sentences, grouped into 37 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 26 of The Burgess Animal Book for Children?

Work through the 37 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 37 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Common questions about reading The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Burgess Animal Book for Children?

Yes. All 5021 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2441 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Burgess Animal Book for Children is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2441, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Burgess Animal Book for Children take to read?

About 418 minutes of reading across 1005 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Burgess Animal Book for Children section by section

How to work through The Burgess Animal Book for Children section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 39 chapters of The Burgess Animal Book for Children to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Burgess Animal Book for Children, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

You're
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Alive
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Peter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rabbit
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Burgess Animal Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.