Bambi's First Day (Sleeping Bear Classics Series) Book

He came into the world in the middle of the thicket, in one of those little, hidden forest glades which seem to be entirely open but are really screened in on all sides.

So begins one of the most beloved nature stories.

Felix Salten wrote Bambi: A Life in the Woods in 1923.It was translated into English in 1928, becoming a Book-of-the-Month Club hit. Though not originally written for children, the film rights were sold to the Walt Disney studios and the animated movie was released in 1942.

Taken directly from the first chapter of Salten's original tale, Bambi's First Day depicts the early moments of the fawn's life in the safety of a forest glen and the shelter of his mother's embrace.

Lush oil paintings by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen showcase the beauty of the natural world and tenderly bring to life the heartfelt devotion and love of a mother for her child.

Children's Literature

Originally written in 1923 and translated into English in 1928, the text here is taken from the first chapter of Bambi: A Life in the Woods, the basis of Walt Disney's Bambi, released in 1942. Salten's anthropomorphized animals are easily recognizable as those we have come to know from the familiar movie. But the realistic drawings representing the magpie, the jay and especially Bambi and his mother are more true to life, and when Bambi's mother raises her head to listen for danger, it is as if you are able to see right into the thicket and view a real deer in the wild. The illustrations are beautifully drawn, each covering every inch of space in the two-page spreads throughout the book. The dense green of the forest is shown in various shades as the light changes through the day. The text is somewhat stilted, considering it was written almost a century ago. The uncomplicated story combined with the skillful illustrations make this a book that preschoolers will love. Reviewer: Wendy M. Smith-D'Arezzo