1940s?? Children’s Christmas book about forest animals scattered during a forest fire..a little critter is separated from his mom..kidlet ends up in tree house with other critters…pedlar arrives selling stuff…comes back Christmas day with kidlet’s mom. I think kidlet lost a mitten in the fire??
This sounds like ‘Friendship Valley’ by Wolo (1946).
From an online review:
“Suddenly Mother Raccoon let out a scream. “Look out!” she cried. “We’re going to hit a rock!” Everyone jumped to his feet. But it was only a big log floating in the water.
“Something’s sitting on it—something with funny tasselled ears,” said Miss Tuffins. “Looks like some sort of a kitten to me, wearing a little blue sock.”
“Why, it’s only a baby,” said Dorinda, lifting her off the log, when they caught up with it. “Here, let me get you warm.”
At first the little stranger was very frightened; but after some coaxing, she told them that her name was Thedy. She was too little to talk much. All they could make out was that she became lost during the fire and had jumped onto the big log to save herself. Dorinda cuddled her closely. “Poor little thing!” she said. “We’ll try awfully hard to find your mother.”
There is a forest fire, but the kitten saves herself. The kitten speaks English, but is very young and doesn’t talk much yet. The kitten is saved by a raft full of animals escaping the fire—badger, woodchuck, racoons, squirrel, hedgehog, and frog. Peter the trade rat passes through once the animals have established a new home, and recognizes Thedy’s blue sock because he sold the bikkiberry blue wool to her mother. He brings Thedy’s mother, Mrs. Willow-cat, with him when he returns on the day before Christmas.”
Thank you so, so much!!!! That is the book!! It belonged to my older sister; my mom bought it for her in LA in 1947?? Wolo was doing a book signing. It was passed down to me in the 50’s. It was my favorite book, so I was devastated when I learned that my mom (not aware that I loved it so much) had given the book away to my cousins in New Hampshire. I have been looking for it in used book stores for years…but didn’t know the title or the author’s name. Thank you again. You made my year!