In the Forest by Marie Hall Ets

Originally published in 1944 by the Viking Press, my copy was published by Puffin Books in 1987 (the year I was born). 

This is a book that I had completely forgotten about until I saw the illustrations.  I admit, I don't really remember the story (although it's a very simple one), but the images were very familiar.  I was probably read this book at a very young age, hence the visuals sticking with me, but not the words. 

As someone who has studied children's literature, I'm surprised I've never heard of Ets because according to Wikipedia, she won the Caldecott Medal in 1960 for Nine Days to Christmas and was one of the runners-up five times from 1945 to 1966 (exceeded only by Maurice Sendak). She was born in Wisconsin in 1895 and died in Florida in 1984.