Since it first appeared over forty years ago, Bambi has been a classic, a wise and humane idyll of life and death in the woods, beloved by readers of all ages.

This unforgettable tale of a young fawn opens when Bambi takes his first trembling steps in the hidden forest glade. But soon, filled with boundless curiosity and the thrill of discovery, he is playing in the sunlit meadow and meeting his animal neighbors.

For a few months, life is sweet for the young deer, but when winter comes he learns the meaning of terror as he confronts starvation, and the awesome, two-footed creature called Man, and Man's fearful "thunderstick". With the coming of spring, vitality returns, and Bambi matures into a handsome stag. . .and learns of the loneliness and responsibility that come with being the leader of a herd.

From the dust jacket of the Simon and Schuster edition illustrated by Barbara Cooney

This beautiful tale of a forest deer—from the time he is a newly born fawn until he becomes an antlered stag—has charmed young and old alike for many years. For Bambi is one of the most appealing animal stories ever written.

From the moment he begins to learn the ways of the forest, when his mother teaches him to stand on wobbly infant legs, Bambi captures the hearts of his readers. And it is not long before we are totally enchanted by his playful antics.

Soon he is talking to the other woodland creatures, frolicking with his brother fawns, and basking joyfully in the warm sun. Life is glorious! But as Bambi grows older he discovers that life can be dangerous as well as beautiful—that he can only roam about his fascinating forest home during the night. Because in the daytime he is hunted!

There are other hardships too. During the long, cold winter the sweet grass is difficult to find, watering places are sometimes frozen solid, and the ground can be dangerously slick. But at last spring arrives!

And with the warm weather Bambi senses change coming over himself. With a rush of pride he suddenly feels his first antlers growing strong, and he is no longer just a playful fawn, but a young adult with new responsibilities. Even the young squirrel sees the change in him—Bambi has become stately and handsome.

Having entered manhood, Bambi now has a responsibility he never dreamt about as an infant. He must take a wife! And quite naturally, his affections turn to the beautiful doe, Faline, who, like Bambi, has grown from a helpless child into a mature young adult.

Every boy and girl who reads Bambi falls in love with this immortal deer. For his unforgettable adventures are full of fun, rollicking humor, and all the excitement of life in the forest. His story is a universal favorite that will enchant children now—and for a lifetime.

From the dust jacket of the Junior Deluxe Edition