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Uncle Wiggily #5
Bed Time Stories: Uncle Wiggily's Travels
One of a series of children's books by the American author and creator of the character Uncle Wiggily Longears, an engaging elderly rabbit. By virtue of his accessible characters and engaging plots, Garis was the one of the most influential children's authors of his day. Many of his books, especially the Uncle Wiggily books, are still widely read.
149 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1913
About the author
Howard R. Garis
848 books30 followersHoward Roger Garis graduated from Binghamton High School and attended Stevens Institute of Technology at Hoboken, New Jersey. From 1896 to 1947, Mr. Garis was a reporter and special writer for the Newark, New Jersey "Evening News." His Uncle Wiggily stories first appeared in the "News" in 1910, were sydicated in 1915, and continued to be published for more than forty years, at one time appearing in one hundred newspapers.
Howard R. Garis wrote 35 volumes of Uncle Wiggily stories under his own name, as well as numerous other children's books under several pseudonyms. Among series Garis contributed to are Tom Swift (as Victor Appleton), the Bobbsey Twins (as Laura Lee Hope), the Motor Boys (as Clarence Young), the Great Marvel series, and books featuring Baseball Joe (as Lester Chadwick) and the Camp Fire Girls (as Marion Davidson). He also wrote "With Force of Arms" (1902), four volumes of the Rocket Riders series, and seven volumes of the Teddy series. His wife, Lilian McNamara Garas, whom he married in 1900, collaborated on several of his books including the Bobbsey Twins volumes.
He had a son, Roger.
Howard R. Garis wrote 35 volumes of Uncle Wiggily stories under his own name, as well as numerous other children's books under several pseudonyms. Among series Garis contributed to are Tom Swift (as Victor Appleton), the Bobbsey Twins (as Laura Lee Hope), the Motor Boys (as Clarence Young), the Great Marvel series, and books featuring Baseball Joe (as Lester Chadwick) and the Camp Fire Girls (as Marion Davidson). He also wrote "With Force of Arms" (1902), four volumes of the Rocket Riders series, and seven volumes of the Teddy series. His wife, Lilian McNamara Garas, whom he married in 1900, collaborated on several of his books including the Bobbsey Twins volumes.
He had a son, Roger.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 6, 2015
This is the second book in this particular Uncle Wiggily series. After reading Uncle Wiggily's Adventure , where our dear old gentleman rabbit friend went off in search of his fortune (and in hopes of losing his rheumatism) I wanted to read this one to see what kind of fortune he manages to find.
Uncle Wiggily has 31 more wild adventures here; he meets new friends and old enemies. How does that mean old alligator always manage to find him, I wonder? And just how many bad snakes are there in the forest, anyway?! They turn up every few chapters and they are always hungry! If it wasn't for the friends Uncle Wiggily has made along the way, like the elephant, the monkey, various birds, even some brave flowers, he would have
been rabbit stew a long time ago.
And meanwhile, there is no sign of his fortune anywhere. Towards the end of this book Uncle Wiggily is starting to get tired, and wants to find his fortune so he can go home with it and buy things for all his friends. I was starting to get tired, too, because it had occurred to me what that fortune might actually turn out to be. I found myself wanting to give our gentleman rabbit friend a good talking to by the time the final chapter rolled around.
But when I read the last few sentences it was not Uncle Wiggily who needed the talking to, it was Howard Garis himself. He says that in the next book he will tell how Uncle Wiggily finds his fortune, and that book is called (duh) Uncle Wiggily's Fortune. But my stars and a potato pancake, Gutenberg doesn't have it at this point in time. So I may never know if Uncle Wiggily ever figured out that his wonderful friends are his true fortune. Of course I can't swear on a stack of potato pancakes that will be the way things turn out, but it feels right....don't you think?
Uncle Wiggily has 31 more wild adventures here; he meets new friends and old enemies. How does that mean old alligator always manage to find him, I wonder? And just how many bad snakes are there in the forest, anyway?! They turn up every few chapters and they are always hungry! If it wasn't for the friends Uncle Wiggily has made along the way, like the elephant, the monkey, various birds, even some brave flowers, he would have
been rabbit stew a long time ago.
And meanwhile, there is no sign of his fortune anywhere. Towards the end of this book Uncle Wiggily is starting to get tired, and wants to find his fortune so he can go home with it and buy things for all his friends. I was starting to get tired, too, because it had occurred to me what that fortune might actually turn out to be. I found myself wanting to give our gentleman rabbit friend a good talking to by the time the final chapter rolled around.
But when I read the last few sentences it was not Uncle Wiggily who needed the talking to, it was Howard Garis himself. He says that in the next book he will tell how Uncle Wiggily finds his fortune, and that book is called (duh) Uncle Wiggily's Fortune. But my stars and a potato pancake, Gutenberg doesn't have it at this point in time. So I may never know if Uncle Wiggily ever figured out that his wonderful friends are his true fortune. Of course I can't swear on a stack of potato pancakes that will be the way things turn out, but it feels right....don't you think?
November 7, 2021
Uncle Wiggily continues wandering about the woods in search of his fortune in this second book of his adventures. And many indeed are the adventures - each one a fifteen minute read to an eager child, with a teaser trailer for the next night's story.
I believe this is the fourth or fifth time (or sixth? or more?) time I've gone through Uncle Wiggily's early adventures to a rapt audience. I generally like these first three books in the series best; the latter ones seem a bit more formulaic (not that this matters to their fan club). Hard to avoid: if Wikipedia is reliable, Garis wrote more than *eleven thousand* Uncle Wiggily stories, in addition to an Blyton-level number of other series books.
While in the later stories, the Skillery-Scalery Alligator or the Wolf or whoever the villain of the piece might merely want to nibble on Uncle Wiggily's ears, they're not on a diet in the early stories, and would cheerfully eat the whole of him. True peril better holds the audience's attention.
I wonder how many more times I will go through the series. DD#2 (4) is now the requestor of Uncle Wiggily's adventures, and while DS#2(6) and even DD#1(8) will listen, they have other primary interests.
I believe this is the fourth or fifth time (or sixth? or more?) time I've gone through Uncle Wiggily's early adventures to a rapt audience. I generally like these first three books in the series best; the latter ones seem a bit more formulaic (not that this matters to their fan club). Hard to avoid: if Wikipedia is reliable, Garis wrote more than *eleven thousand* Uncle Wiggily stories, in addition to an Blyton-level number of other series books.
While in the later stories, the Skillery-Scalery Alligator or the Wolf or whoever the villain of the piece might merely want to nibble on Uncle Wiggily's ears, they're not on a diet in the early stories, and would cheerfully eat the whole of him. True peril better holds the audience's attention.
I wonder how many more times I will go through the series. DD#2 (4) is now the requestor of Uncle Wiggily's adventures, and while DS#2(6) and even DD#1(8) will listen, they have other primary interests.
December 26, 2021
Originally, the stories were serialized in newspapers so parents could read them to children. The stories were popular enough that they were gathered into books and preserved. Each story still ends with "If this improbable situation doesn't happen, I'll tell you the story of" with the title of the next story. Once upon a time, when I was young, my grandmother read these stories (she had them in books) to my brother and me. My mother also shared her books with me when I was old enough to read them on my own.
This collection focuses on Uncle Wiggily and his search to find his fortune. Uncle Wiggily happens to be a rabbit who had served in the Great War (back when there was only one) and now has rheumatism and gets along with a walking stick. Uncle Wiggily makes many friends as he travels and helps those who need them. And those good deeds done unselfishly often result in help when he needs it: not a bad lesson to learn.
Suggested as stories read to children or as a trip down nostalgia lane.
This collection focuses on Uncle Wiggily and his search to find his fortune. Uncle Wiggily happens to be a rabbit who had served in the Great War (back when there was only one) and now has rheumatism and gets along with a walking stick. Uncle Wiggily makes many friends as he travels and helps those who need them. And those good deeds done unselfishly often result in help when he needs it: not a bad lesson to learn.
Suggested as stories read to children or as a trip down nostalgia lane.
July 25, 2019
Memories of my Dad reading these to me with emphasis and various expressions in his voice. This volume is full of fun illustrations by Elmer Rache. Would rate it a 4 right behind Thornton Burgess who tops at 5 star. It's fun and almost necessary sometime.
Do you remember the string and the loose tooth?
Do you remember the string and the loose tooth?
January 14, 2021
A Christmas gift -- published over 100 years ago....enjoyable little stories.
August 25, 2023
Cute book of animal stories
Uncle Wiggley is well loved at my house. They are stories from a simpler time. They are somewhat repetitive, but I think my kids find that comforting.
Uncle Wiggley is well loved at my house. They are stories from a simpler time. They are somewhat repetitive, but I think my kids find that comforting.
April 14, 2024
Great adventures, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN5pt...
August 25, 2007
My parents read Uncle Wiggily stories to me when I was growing up and to this day, they remain my favorite books from my childhood.
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August 25, 2007I do remember reading Uncle Wiggily books as a child but I can't even remember enough about them to rate them.
January 15, 2014
Not my favorite UW. The stories were extremely repetitive, each pretty cute on its own but essentially one story retold 35 times. He also uses the phrase "all of a sudden" over and over again.
November 16, 2016
Thirty short stories of Uncle Wiggily NOT finding his fortune! Lots of goofy (though slightly repetitive) fun.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews