Kenneth Grahame Books

this is a great kids book. and even i love anything that rhymes. thank you so much.

The original "St. George and the Dragon" story is a frightening tale. Depending on which version you read, the townspeople give the scaly, stinking, vicious, dragon tribute of two sheep per day, and, when they invariably run out of sheep, they begin feeding it their own children. The King is obviously horrified, but what can he do? However, when the lottery selects his own daughter, who should appear but Sir George, (later the patron Saint of England) just in time for the king, if not for the subjects. The daughter worries for his safety, but the knight spears the dragon in its one vulnerable spot, then in a gallant display, borrows the daughter's girdle to drag the wounded dragon down to the town. For his own tribute, George asks only that the citizens become baptized; after this, he cuts off the dragon's head. Not a good ending for the dragon, but then, he wasn't a very nice dragon.

Like others before him, Kenneth Grahame modified this bloody tale for the consumption of the very young, and turned it completely on its head. This dragon would rather sleep than slay, purr than prey, and his true nature is discovered by a tow-headed young boy who gradually becomes friends with the pacifist, poetry-loving beast ("why I wouldn't hurt a fly."). Lay low, he advises him. Naturally, though, St. George arrives, and everyone acts as expected--except for the dragon. He simply refuses to attend his own demise:

"Well, tell him [St. George] to go away," said the dragon. "I'm sure he's not nice. Say he can write if he likes. But I won't see him." The boy, however, understands the underlying social pressures (which echo those of the British class system during Grahame's time) and replies: "But you've got to," said the boy. "You've got to fight him, you know, because he's St. George and you're the dragon."

The dragon, the knight, and the young boy, a person with neither power nor social distinction, make a plan. The plan is simple: Fake it. And so, like one of Vince McMahon's TV "wrestling" matches, St. George and the Dragon have it out, with flames and fury, and, as St. George just barely pierces the dragon in a pre-arranged safe spot. The townspeople, who have brought picnics for the presumed slaughter, were satisfied with the spectacle: "And all the others were happy because there had been a fight, and-well, they didn't need any other reason."

The original story, one of several short studies published in Grahame's "Dream Days" (1898, ten years before Grahame's most famous and beloved work, "The Wind in the Willows") may be found at http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=GraDrea.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=7&division=div1. Grahame wrote "The Reluctant Dragon" long at times, and one sees his concerns with religion and nature so evident in the river adventure scene of Wind in the Willows. Inga Moore takes out most of the slower, descriptive narrative (which might be enjoyed by older readers), and focuses instead on the dragon/boy/St. George relationships and the exciting battle. Compare the following excerpts (the first is Grahame's); this is great abridgement except for the inexplicable deletion of the last sentence, a very funny, modernist touch by Graham:

1. Then a cloud of smoke obscured the mouth of the cave, and out of the midst of it the dragon himself, shining, sea-blue, magnificent, pranced splendidly forth; and everybody said, "Oo-oo-oo!" as if he had been a mighty rocket! His scales were glittering, his long spiky tail lashed his sides, his claws tore up the turf and sent it flying high over his back, and smoke and fire incessantly jetted from his angry nostrils. "Oh, well done, dragon!" cried the Boy, excitedly. "Didn't think he had it in him!" he added to himself.
2. Then a cloud of smoke billowed from the mouth of the cave, and out of the midst of it the dragon himself, shining, sea-blue, magnificent, pranced splendidly forth; and everybody said, "Oo-oo-oo!" His scales were glittering, his long spiky tail lashed his sides, his claws tore up the turf and sent it flying high over his back, and smoke and fire jetted from his nostrils. "Oh, well done, dragon!" cried the Boy, excitedly. "Didn't think he had it in him!" he added to himself.

Moore also displays great taste and talent in her beautiful colored pencil and ink drawings. She draws landscapes and houses in a traditional style with meticulous shading and detail, trees show the undertones of illustration from a 1912 publication. The friendly, easygoing dragon is drawn showing an easy confidence and an engaging smile, but he's actor enough to look ferocious when required. He's drawn in one of the most striking shades of blue since the ceramic in the movie "Diva." Overall, Inga Moore honors the original Grahame story while making the story and pictures maximally entertaining for young children. Publisher Candlewick has done it again; this is an extraordinary book.

Fanciful and charming. I enjoyed reading it to my nephew and he loved it too. The artwork is lovely also. I'm looking forward to reading it again, with or without my nephew.

I bought this book for my future child (due Feb 2006) as part of my growing library. I read it through and thought it was cute, if a bit antiquated (what do you expect for a book that was written over 100 years ago?) Basically, a young boy befriends a dragon. When the townsfolk realize the dragon exists, they call upon a champion to vanquish him, blaming the dragon for crimes that he didn't commit. The boy talks to the champion about his friend and they all agree to stage a fight, rather than fight to the death. Once the play fight is over (the champion only gives the dragon a small flesh wound), it is agreed by all that the dragon will not harm anyone and the townsfolk will stop telling lies about the dragon. Nice moral story.

My only problem with the book is that it has been "sensitively abridged". I'm not sure what that means for "The Reluctant Dragon", but my "sensitively abridged" copy of "The Wind in the Willows" (also by Kenneth Graham) edits out silly things like "splashes of whitewash all over his black fur". If the book has to be so politically correct that it can't even refer to the color of an animal's fur, I'm not sure that I really want to associate with the edition. I'd be curious to compare this edition of "The Reluctant Dragon" with the original text now.

(The following is a review of "The Reluctant Dragon" by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Ernest Shepard and published by Holiday House. It also appears on reviews for other editions.)

Just as Ernest Shepard's illustrations for "The Wind in the Willows" set the standard, so, too, do his drawings capture the essence of "The Reluctant Dragon."

The tale itself is well known. A dragon emerges from a cave overlooking the Downs at the outskirts of a village and only a spunky shepherd's son is brave enough to befriend the sonnet-composing critter. Over time, the dragon's existence becomes the talk of the town and St. George is called in to dispatch this evil scourge that has wrought so much death and destruction, uh, so much theft and vandalism, er, well, actually, hasn't kidnapped a princess, devoured a horse or even stolen a single chicken, but, blimey, he's a dragon and he jolly well might, you know!

The Boy is caught in the middle with St. George insisting that he must battle the dragon, and the dragon solidly refusing to raise so much as a single claw against anyone, let alone St. George. All three put their heads together and formulate a plan to satisfy the battle-monger villagers while sparing both the life of the dragon and St. George's reputation.

Ernest Shepard's illustrations are masterpieces of understatement featuring nothing but line work to portray the Boy's book-learned confidence, the dragon's sheer size and bulk, and St. George's movie-star pin-up good looks. They are illustrations in the truest sense, tickling the reader's imagination instead of repeating in visual form what the author has already drawn with words in the reader's mind. Particularly humorous is St. George's wide-eyed horse, who appears to be never fully at ease with the dragon.

Newer illustrated editions might be more detailed and in full color, but compared to this one, they appear overblown and overdone, an illustrator's showcase at the expense of the story. Ernest Shepard had the good sense and restraint to let the story tell itself and simply embellish a moment here, a bit of action there. Holiday House honors both creators by avoiding unnecessary alteration or abridgement. The result is a literary and visual picnic.

This delightful story tells the tale of a boy who meets a kindly dragon on the edge of town. The boy and the dragon become friends and start spending a lot of time together. Then the people of the town find out about the dragon and send for St. George. The boy meets with St. George and takes him to meet the dragon. All three soon become friends and find themselves in a quandry. George doesn't want to kill the dragon and the dragon has no desire to kill George. A plan is hatched and at the end of the story everyone lives happily.

It's really great reading this to younger children. It's got a great message about not prejudging others. It also shows how people can sometimes get everything they want, without anyone having to get hurt by it. That doesn't happen often, but it's nice to be reminded now and again that it can.

I love this story but am interested to know the illustrator. If it is Marlene Ekman's illustrations in the hardcover version then it is the best publication. Her pictures add real life to this wonderful child's story.

Author of historical fiction.

This book is a treasure for your library. It brings endless pleasure, and is the kind of story that spans all ages.

It is the tale of a boy and his dragon who lives up on the Downs. In spite of the bad reputation dragons have, the boy and he become quick friends. Saint George shows up to do battle with the reluctant lizard, and the boy arranges a mock battle, unbeknown to the villagers that pleases everyone.

(...) THE BOOK IS ABOUT THIS BOY WHO MEETS THIS DRAGON AND THEY
BEACOME FRIENDS THE DRAGON TELLS THE BOY STORY AND NONE ARE
TRUE. BUT ONE IS TRUE THE DRAGONS FAUTHER DIED WHEN A KNIGHT
FOUND OUT ABOUT HIM WHEN THE DRAGON WAS LITTLE. THE KID
HEARS ABOUT A KNIGHT NAMED ST. GEORGE HE TELLS ST. GEORGE
ABOUT THE DRAGON. THE NEXT DAY THE KID SHOWS ST. GEORGE THE
THE DRAGON THE DRAGON DID NOT WHANT TO FIGHT. THE NEXT DAY
ST. GEORGE TOLD SOME OF THE DRAGONS TALES TO THE VILLAGE.
THE TALES WHERE ABOUT KNIGHTS AND DRAGONS FIGHTING. THAT
AFTER NOON THE DRAGON HID IN THE CAVE AND ST. GEORGE FAKED
TO KILL THE DRAGON AND WAS FAMOUS.

(...)

This is a wonderful story that can be enjoyed by all ages. But because of some of the archaic phrasing I would not recommend it to students under the age of 8.

We love to listen to this in the car. It is Classic and enjoyable.

The narrator is great, he created different voices for each of the characters so the listener can know who is talking. His voice is also very smooth and pleasant. It is a great addition to any collection and can be enjoyed by all age groups

This book won't let me go. I find myself quoting small animals! "Oh,Bother" has become my favorite exclamation. The author brings Mr Rat, Mole and Mr Toad to life with vivid descriptions of their surroundings. A wonderful book.

My grandchildren and I listened to this while on a car trip, and we loved it. In fact, I wanted to listen even when they weren't in te car. hte writeup states that you might want to buy one for the children and another for yourself, and that's probably true. Very well done.

I'm very pleased with this version of this classic, must-have work of children's literature. For less than the price of a typical paperback, this attractive hardcover version is very well bound and perfect size and format for reading aloud to little ones. Black and white illustrations are sparse but beautifully done. It even has a ribbon place-holder. Very acceptable addition to your heirloom children's library. Would definitely get more from this series.

I am very pleased with the condition of this book. Wind In the Willows has been a favorite of mine for over 60 years!!

This is a wonderful book, and a great gift for a chid in your life.

I first read it as a little boy many years ago.

I am 56 years old and read it every year!

I'm sorry to see that Grahame's "Dream Days" is so unavailable. It's a deeply enjoyable book that demonstrates the power of "stories" to pull us out of the here and now and make us to stand up straighter, to imagine ourselves as knights and ladies. Grahame's book would be great for older children (young ones may find themselves fidgeting - there is a certain amount of description and archaic language). Adults may actually enjoy this one more than kids. Reading it brought back to me the days of my youth, when a good story could fire my imagination for days, and the characters lived right along side of me, as sort of doppelgangers. This story reminds me of E. Nesbit, another great Edwardian children's writer. Children should read these books, they are well-written and can help foster a love for the "right word" and the well-turned phrase. Try to find a copy with Parrish's illustrations. This whole book is just a wonderful aesthetic experience.

If you are picking up this book, you most likely have read its companion, THE GOLDEN AGE. This book continues the exploits of the children introduced in the first volume. Veddy, veddy English. Completely delightful, though.

I am not sure today's children would enjoy this book. The 19th Century British-isms will probably be quite tedious to any but the most precocious of children. And nothing really "happens" so to speak. No adventures of overwhelming magnitude. Rather, the children's imagination governs what happens throughout the book. Small things are turned into events of great importance. Children brought up with video games will most likely be bored. But for an adult, ahhh! This is a find. It will make you yearn for the idyllic childhood you never had or anybody had for that matter.

Each chapter is like sunlight shining on a bead of dew in April. Or something similarily poetic. Grahame's the better writer anyway.

It's been a long time since I first read "Wind in the Willows," but rereading this version with my three-year-old has been a wonderful, rewarding experience. I'm not sure how much editing Inga Moore has done, but she has certainly retained the essence of the story while making it more easily accessible to the young reader (or, in our case, listener). And her illustrations are delightful; the images of Ratty, Mole, Otter, Mr. Toad and Badger with which my daughter will grow up are virtually perfect. Moreover, by dividing the story into two slimmer volumes she has made it easier for a parent to read it to a child. I can't say enough about this wonderful edition of "Wind in the Willows," but I encourage parents -- or grandparents or aunts or uncles or friends -- to buy it for the next generation of readers.

Kenneth Grahame's stories of the friendship of Mole and Rat are fascinating portraits of human character traits. When reading these stories to my children, I would ask them which character they most identified with, or of whom did each story character remind them. For instance, Mole is a gentle, kind, sentimental and curious soul, though a little self-conscious. When he ventures away from his home one day, he happens upon the river bank where he observes all of the happenings until he meets a river rat or Ratty as he calls him when they become friends. Ratty is very organized, punctual and accomplished at many practical tasks. He's conservative and predictable. Ratty and Moley become great friends, and Moley decides to stay on with Ratty by the river bank indefinitely, instead of going back home. The book contains several stories from the beginning of Ratty and Moley's friendship, until Moley misses his home and decides to try and find it again with the help of his friend. Along the way we meet Otter, Badger and the infamous Mr. Toad. I highly recommend this particular book because of the absolutely wonderful illustrations. The drawings of the inside of the dwellings are especially detailed, warm and inviting. Looking at them gave me a yearning to be there and stay for a long visit.

I read this book over ten years ago, when I was about nine, but the emotions I felt while reading it are still fresh in my mind. This is an excellent read, at any age. It's fun, sad, silly, and adventurous. I will never forget it.

I read this book so many times. I loved it. I thimk you should read it too.

As a godfather, I've stared giving random editions of the Wind In The Willows...something classy from another era...a completely whole other level of ilustration and literary content...the mother of my God child thought it was a great idea and loves this first items and is looking forward to the future gifts...

Good reading skills or parental read-aloud assistance will be required for this chapter from Grahme's classic Wind In The Willows: it tells of friendship and a holiday homecoming as Mole transforms Mole End to a haven of earth and cheer. Hague's beautiful paintings embellish the spirited story.

Although this story has been in print for many years, and the video commonly available, this fresh insight on a story of a group of friends who try to save one of their own from his own weaknesses is truely charming. This graphic novel reads like a screenplay with interesting angles and perspective on the characters, scenery, and actions. The delicate color palette used to evoke the seasons in the wood, the rich colors of the mansions and halls, and the mood of the scenes adds to the visual enrichment. Although this is not a word-for-word renditon of the original story it reads with a "feel of the essence of the book".

"The Wind in The Willows" is legendary in itself. Michel Plessix illustration makes this version (very true to the original) a must for everyone's library, adult & children alike.

Mr. Toad loves to go fast - in his gypsy cart. Even in that, he runs up huge bills because he crashes into things and has to pay for them. While his friends lock him up and plot to try to keep him from losing Toad Hall to debts, Toad sneaks out and trades Toad Hall for a motorcar! When he's arrested for stealing it, everyone pitches in to help him out, even Cyril, his horse.

For the nitpickers who like to be sure that their kids' books send the "right" messages, this one won't do it for you. Cyril breaks Toad out of jail and there are no consequences and Toad doesn't change his ways... but if you're just interested in entertaining the kids and getting them hooked on books, Toad's a good way to go! His adventures are funny, he's happy-go-lucky and, in the end, Toad is Toad.

The illustrations are standard Disney, bright and colorful, and compliment the text wonderfully. And, of course, the movie these characters come from, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, is a nice way to draw kids into this book and build up to the book they both came from, The Wind in the Willows. Get 'em reading!