Little Fur Family: Margaret Wise Brown

This delightful, timeless tale is a treat for the eyes and ears with the combination of Margaret Wise Brown’s lyrical text and Garth Williams’ wonderful illustrations. 

Reading Level: Birth – 3 years (and up).

Read aloud time: 3 minutes.

About the Author:

Margaret Wise Brown (1910-1952) is an American children’s book author, best known for her lyrical style and simple, playful stories such as Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Wise Brown loved to tell stories that focused on the real world and the present moment, and often featured animals as the main characters. She is regarded as one of the most beloved and best selling American children’s authors.

About the Illustrator:

Garth Williams (1912-1996) is an American artist best known for his illustrations of classic American children’s books such as Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, the Little House series, and many Little Golden Books (some of which he authored as well). Williams is known for his ability to encase action and emotion in his drawings, which are beautifully rich in color and detail. He died at the age of 84 and estimated he had illustrated just under 100 books.

Here’s why kids might like Little Fur Family:

Originally published in 1946, Little Fur Family is the sweet, whimsical story of a little fur child who spends his day having adventures in the “wild wood” where he lives. He meets his Grandpa, catches a fish and a flying bug, and finds another “little tiny tiny fur animal.” At the end of his day, when the “sky [grows] wild and red,” the little fur child runs home to his mother and father who lovingly care for him and tuck him into bed. On the final page of the story is the little fur family’s evening song, which — fair warning — your child will want you to sing.

What makes Little Fur Family worth reading?

The combination of Margaret Wise Brown’s lyrical text with Garth Williams’ wonderful illustrations makes this book a delight to read aloud and your children will love listening and looking at the pictures again and again. The episodic nature of the story and Wise Brown’s knack for description and rhyme keep the book entertaining, even though it’s more text-heavy than your average board book at 32 pages. Young children will also appreciate the little fur child’s freedom to explore alone in the woods bookended by the loving comfort of his parents’ care. The physical board book also has a sensory element babies will love as the fur child depicted on the cover has a furry tummy for them to rub.

Publication Details: Modern Board Book Edition: New York: HarperFestival, 2005.