Kenneth Grahame Books

This childhood favorite is as fresh and charming as when it was first published. The animal protagonists--Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad--remind us of folks we know, which endears them to us
with their all-too-human dreams and foibles. For both Men and Creatures struggle to survive in the forest and streams of life. Exhausted from his strenuous spring cleaning, Mole sets out into the world Aboveground, where he discovers the joys and challenges of Riverbank Life with his new friend and host, the water rat. But beware the perils lurking in the adjacent Wild Wood!

Kenneth Grahame weaves a gentle tale with willow strands of friendship, dedication to ideals and sacrifice. Come ride the roads with Toady, and skull down the river with Ratty; savor the sentimental whisperings of Home with Mole. Then join the ranks of Badger's Avengers! This beloved classic combines humor and pathos with lively adventure in an animal realm which parallels human endeavor. This book is a true gem, to be rediscovered by successive generations and treasured by children of all ages!

I read this book for the first time two years ago, and it is one of my all-time favorite books - which I re-read now every spring. I owned this edition. I say "owned" in the past-tense, because I am buying it now... for the third time... to replace yet another copied loaned out and loved too much to be returned to me!

This is a delightful story, whether you are a child tucked into bed and being read to, or whether, like me, you are the adult with your feet tucked up beneath you in some quiet, sunny spot. There are moments in this book that are so charming, so profound, or so amusing, that I find myself re-reading the passages again and again, and just laughing.

This edition of the classic children's book, The Wind in the Willows is absolutely wonderful, particularly for its creative and artistic illustrations. I have loved this book for many years now and am so happy to have found this wonderful edition. If you too have loved this book as much as I, you will find your pleasure doubled with this edition. If you have never read Wind the Willows, I promise you have an incredible treat waiting for you!

This fourth volume Panic At Toad Hall continues to adapt the famous child's classic into a color comic book form, with French artist Michel Plessix providing gorgeous drawings. Kids who have difficulty reading but who love comics will find this a most inviting method of discovering the appeal and adventure in Grahame's classic.

While Grahame's The Wind in the Willows may have been written for children, it mimics and speaks to adults, as well. The characters in his "low fantasy" story, though animal in name, physical description, and dwelling habitats, portray many of the same foibles and flaws as those represented by human beings.
Mr. Toad, for example, is not only wealthy and pretentious, but spoiled, haughty, self-serving, and thoughtless. He takes his truest friends for granted, and things nothing of thievery or dealing underhandedly to accomplish his selfish wants. For toad, Mr. Toad, like some people we encounter, has no real material needs, but has wants that seldom satisfy him for more than a moment.
Mr. Toad's friends, Old Badger, Water Rat, and Mole also have personalities that mirror that of adult humans. Perhaps Grahame intended to reach children at an age when they are teachable and impress upon them manners and sensibilities that will guide their interpersonal relationships as they grow.
Though the poetically beautiful settings of the story are present in the "real world," the magical occurrences of motorcar-driving frogs, gondola-sailing rats, and suit-wearing badgers, make this fantastical story entertaining, particular for children, who possess a vivid imagination that is oftentimes stifled by everyday pressures in the world of grown-ups.
Both children and adults can identify with the personalities of Grahame's imaginary characters, and there are age-old lessons taught in this story that are often present in mythology and even Biblical teachings. There is even a God-like character in the book, called The Piper, who brings the seasons and protects the animals.
The morals taught in the story are satisfying, in that, in the end, Mr. Toad is a changed man, er, frog, in that he has learned to appreciate the value of true friendship accept his good fortune with humility. Through his animal characters, Grahame represents the bad in human nature made good, while entertaining us with comedic situations that--if they didn't involve such fantastical creatures--could be considered realistic.

This is a delightful book, readable well into adulthood. Mr. Toad is particularly entertaining, but so are the wise and tolerant Badger and the adventure loving Mole and Rat. A fully realized world that even makes reference to the classics. Good prevails in the final battle, and the animals are restored to their peaceable kingdom. A wonderful book to read and reread.

This has to be my all time favorite DVD far better than other productions of this I have viewed. Absolutely delightful to watch for people of all ages - it's a keeper that you can watch over and again!

`Straighten up, everybody,' commanded the Badger in his best parade ground voice. 'We must all give a good impression to the reviewer. This means you too, Ratty.'
'Why yes badger,' cried Ratty, hastily stuffing his tea cake under the picnic table. 'Best behaviour, what?'
'Where is Mole?' continued the Badger, glancing sternly at the cake crumbs clinging stubbornly to the Rat's whiskers.
The Mole broke surface directly beneath the picnic table, almost scattering the Rat's carefully laid out treats to the four winds. Clambering out from under, he turned towards the stern Badger.
'Here I am, sir,' squeaked the Mole anxiously.' I do hope I am not late?'
'Of course not, Moley, Just in time, what?' Laughed the Rat as he straightened his table. It would not do to leave good, picnic food unstraightened. It would only, he knew, attract the Weasels. Or even a stoat or two.
'When you have quite finished,' announced the Badger, striving to maintain the dignity of the occasion, 'I would like you to impress upon the good people reading this that Mr Grahame's novel, which is all about us, I hasten to remind you, is the finest tale of riverside life ever written by human or animal. I want you to impress upon anyone who asks that this is a cheery-up of a book, a time to relax of a book, a best reward of a book, to warm the hearts of all.' The Badger unshipped a particularly stern glare. 'Do I make myself clear?'
'Why of course, Badger, 'replied the Rat while doffing his boater at a pair of passing rabbits and their giggling brood, 'Wind in the Willows is the finest book of its kind. I would advise folk everywhere,' he smiled at the rabbits, 'to read it to their children for double the pleasure.'
'Yes quite', the Badger harrumphed.
'Now, on the next item on the agenda. Where, oh where, is that wasteful extravagant miscreant, you know who?'
Crash! With an explosion of knives, forks, cupcakes, bread and honey, and cheese, the picnic table evaporated into the ether. The animals scattered, the Rat losing his boater in the proceedings.
When the dust settled, all was revealed. The remains of a once-fine motorcar sat right in the middle of what had once been a picnic. Upside down, stuck helplessly in the bough of an oak, waved the tweed-clad legs of one who, even upside down, could not be mistook for a upright citizen. From inside the strong oak there came a muffled, yet unmistakable cry.
'Poop poop!'

"The Wind in the Willows" reminds me a lot of the television series "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood." I make this connection because in the face of a great deal of children's entertainment that is fast-paced, zany, and explosive, it is gentle and slow, and speaks honestly to children without diluting its messages any. In many of these reviews, readers have expressed their affection for loyal mole, brave rat, etc. I agree, but to me the really cool thing is how all of these characters are actually very complex and very real, yet loveable all the same. Loyal old mole is also rather pompous and unheeding. Courageous rat is often brusque and self-centered. Brave Badger is sometimes unkind, and by the same token vain, petty, wasteful Toad is also loyal to his friends and generous- to a fault- with his things. All the characters have unexpressed longings- Rat, great lover of the river-bank, fights a conflicting desire to travel and see more things. Mole, wholeheartedly embracing his new life, also secretly longs for his old one. Badger secretly loves company. What makes the characters so compelling is how fundamentally decent, loyal, and kind they are to each other, and that's the best lesson any child can get out of this fine story. As a teacher I see the results of kids who haven't learned this lesson in my classroom day after day. I had this book read to me as a child and loved it and it has an honored place on my shelf now, where I reread it at least once every two or three years, when the modern world gets to be too much for me!

The book, of course, is a classic. The illustrations by Inga Moore are delightful. I'm planning on reading it to our grandsons, but they won't enjoy it as much as I do. Like Winnie the Pooh, there's more in it for adults than for small children.

I bought this book online for reading to our five-year-old, having never read it myself in childhood. Since there are lots of editions and I couldn't see them physically, I struggled a bit, but ended up picking the one with the illustrations I liked best, despite a somewhat higher cost. Aside from being a joy to read, this turns out to be the most gorgeous book I've bought in years. Not only are the illustrations painstaking, rich, and vivid, with a tone that fits the text perfectly -- and there are tons of them -- it is also a large-format hardback with a quality of paper and binding that you just don't see anymore. I would have expected to pay $30 or more for this if asked to guess the price. Every time I open it to read to my daughter I get a little thrill of pleasure just from the quality of the book itself. If it's abridged without acknowledgement, that's unfortunate, but I wouldn't let that deter you from buying this stunning edition.

Even middle schoolers will enjoy this classic epic of the adventures of four riverside pals braving the huge world. The shy Mole, courageous Rat, boisterous Toad, and the all- knowing Badger will charm you the minute you encounter them.

Whenever, I think of Mole I smile. Curious as he is, he discovers the river along with his new-found friend, Rat. Rat is a cunning character who is always ready to lend a helping hand and always knows what is going on. Rat knows all about his friendly riverside neighbors and informs Mole about their personalities. I wouldn't mind having him as my friend, even though he is a rat. Rat's statement about his friend Toad was right on the money, "He is indeed the best of animals, so simple, so good natured, and so affectionate. Perhaps he's not very clever-we can't all be geniuses; and it may be that he is boastful and conceited. But he has got some great qualities has Toady." Later on in the book, Toad finds himself escaping jail dressed as a washer woman with no money because he stole a motor car. This comical character keeps the book interesting by adding little stories and always getting into trouble. The last of the four friends is Badger, a hermit who lives deep in the wild wood he is wise, but not one who you can rely on to show up. As Rat puts it when Mole questions when he will meet badger, "Badger will turn up some day or other-he's always turning up- and then I'll introduce you. The best of fellows!" Last but not least, are the weasels who invade Toad Hall when Toad is imprisoned. It made me laugh to think of these little weasels taking over and having an army-like personality, and it puts a fun twist in the plot.

My favorite aspect of this book is the personification Grahame puts into these animals. When I think of the characters in this book I think of them as humans not the animals that they really are. My seven-year old step-sister loved the children's version and I the adult therefore making this book great for people of all ages.

For those people who are not familiar with this timeless classic, it is the charming tale of a humble Mole who wanders down to the riverside one day, only to meet a new friend in the local water Rat, and thus begin a series of adventures that will introduce him to the lovable but foolish Toad and the brave but aloof Badger, and a host of other woodland creatures -- all of whom dress and act like people. Most of the action surrounds Toad's exploits and escapes, while most of the heart comes from the friendship between Mole and his friend Rat.

It seems that reviewers either loved this book for the peerless color illustrations by Inga Moore, surpassing even the charm of Shepherd's original ink drawings, or they are deeply disappointed by the abridgement.

I have to say that I fall into the first category. Moore's many charming and highly detailed pictures are a genuine treasure, and evoke the mood of the book and the personality of the characters pefectly. In my opinion they add to the experience of the book considerably.

In the store, before I bought the book, I made a word-by-word comparison for some of the most memorable passages and found no differences whatsoever. So, from what I can gather, the abridgment seems to consist of leaving out a few episodes entirely, rather than shortening here and abbreviating there. I think this approach leaves far more of Kenneth Grahame's original voice intact - a very good thing indeed. I would also add that, at 180 pages, it's not an extensive abridgement; most of the original is still there.

Why not all of it? I don't know. But don't let that stop you from buying this lovely book, another gem from the outstanding Candlewick Press.

I almost didn't get around to it until I became a grandma. Thought I'd better brush up on children's literature--how had I ever missed this? It's hard to believe that anyone could make a Water Rat, a Mole, a Toad, a Badger, and various and sundry rodents so endearing. Why, parts of it even made me LOL! The abridged hardcover edition I bought was only thirteen bucks or so, but the illustrations by Inga Moore make it priceless. Buy this one! You won't be sorry!

The Wind in the Willows: Classics Illustrated Deluxe
Classics Illustrated have a 60 year old reputation that is hard to beat. What other series has been embraced by educators and readers around the world and still garners attention from mainstream publishing?
NBM, in association with Jack Lake Productions and First Classics, has released the Michael Plessix adaptation of Kenneth Grahames' "Wind in the Willows". The adventures of Toad, Mole, Badger, Otter, and Rat leap off the page with an amazing life its' own. Msr Plessix' art is delightful, combining a wide range of color pallettes and detailed imagery. Clearly, this was a work of love.
The only drawback to the book is the size of the book. With art this complex, some of the detail is lost in the panel sizes. However, a larger presetation would necessitate a higher price. I can just imagine what the gallery quality original art must look like.
"Wind" is broken into 10 chapters following the first encounter of the water Rat, Mole, Otter and Toad. Theirs is a friendship born through and deepened by adventure. Whether it is going to visit Badger and his amazing underground home, or traveling with Toad, a boundless enthusiasm for life is woven through the fabric of the adventures.
Like the original series before, this presentation of the stories is magical and if this is any indication of the books to follow, Classics Illustrated Deluxe is sure to build a new generation of readers. [...]
Tim Lasiuta

The Wind in the Willows is a full-color graphic novel adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic anthropomorphic fable following the adventures of the humble Mole, the river-loving Water Rat, the gruff yet wise Badger, and the fabulously wealthy yet all-too-easily worked-up Toad. Toad has many foibles, some more endearing than others, but perhaps the most troublesome is his sudden obsession automobiles - a trait that prompts his downfall when he commits a sudden infraction of grand theft auto out of his pure love for reckless driving! Though Wind of the Willows is set in a quasi turn-of-the-century motif, with subtle issues of class and social station, The Wind in the Willows has a timeless grace that makes it a joy to read for adults and children alike. The caricatures of the story's many creatures, as drawn by Michel Plessix, perfectly capture the quirks and enthusiasm of the many woodland denizens. Perhaps most awe-inspiring, though, is Badger's prediction that rings as true today as it ever did: "If this contraption [the automobile] keeps on, people will invade all the beautiful places! You'll have to build roads to go there and buildings to house them, thereby destroying what they came looking for in the first place... And then you'll have to park the cars somewhere. They'll hog the sidewalks and the squares. Children will no longer be able to play in the streets, and the people strolling will disappear because it will become necessary that everything go as fast as that machine. Since people will spend all their time in this rolling cage, they'll lose the habit of speaking to one another and will no longer understand one another. Then they'll hate each other." Highly recommended for readers of all ages.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Just a quick note: My kids, who just start to read, love the book, and the illustrations are lovely with a lot attention to detail. Given the nature of a comic book, why is the format so small, that you cannot fully enjoy the illustrations?

My teenager daughter loves "Classics Illustrated Deluxe: The Wind in the Willows," and she was the one that insisted on getting it. I started to read this book in my spare time and I was fascinated by this book also.

Michel Plessix captured the essence of Kenneth Grahame's classic and did a great job in adapting it as a graphic novel. The story is engaging and interesting. This book includes 11 chapters: The River Bank, The Open Road, The Wild Wood, Mr. Badger, Home Sweet Home, Mr. Toad, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Toad's Adventure, The Further Adventure of Toad, Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears, The Return of Ulysses and an Epilogue at the end. Each chapter has an interesting story or an unexpected adventure. For example, in Chapter One, The River Bank, Mole and Rat have a nice picnic and run into some old friends (Otter, Toad and Badger), but on their way home, their boat unexpectedly turns over. You wonders what happens to them. In Chapter Three, The Wild Wood, Mole accidentally wanders into the forbidden Wild Wood. Fortunately Rat finds him, but both of them get caught in a snowstorm and get lost again...What will happen to them? Will they survive the snowstorm? "Classics Illustrated Deluxe: The Wind in the Willows" is filled with pageturners and cliffhangers like these. I found myself glued to the book and just kept reading.

I actually spent two years taking various drawing courses when I was studying for my Bachelor degree in Architecture, so I know how hard it is to do graphic illustrations. Michel Plessix's illustrations are masterfully done. They are very detailed and vivid. The colors are pleasant and professional.

"Classics Illustrated Deluxe: The Wind in the Willows" has 144 pages and full-color interior illustrations. It is a great read for leisure and pleasures for both adults and children!

Gang Chen, a Book Reviewer for Bookpleasures

I just read this lovely little book, having not read it as a child.
The pleasure of reading it transported me back to a time when I enjoyed the simple, uncluttered pleasures of imagination and dreams.
This is a truly ageless tale - one that can just as easy be read by an adult for one's own childish enjoyment, as it can be read TO a child, for theirs.

Tips for Teachers, my student's loved Wind in the Willows. They enjoyed the great characters and the humorous stories. However, use caution when using this book any earlier than 6th grade. The language can be difficult and discouraging for less advanced readers.

This is a tremendous piece of literature about talking animals, but it's much more serious than it sounds. It has many adventures in it, and it's fun to read. If you liked it, check out the sequels by William Horwood. He's also a great author.

Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) was a staid Victorian banker who had a vivid imagination! In 1907-1908 he penned a series of charming letters to his son Alistair which morphed into the classic "The Wind in the Willows". No one beats the British in this kind of animal tale told with pananche and joy de vivre! Along with Grahame one has only to think of Beatrix Potter, A.A. Milne and James Barrie to relish these timeless stories.
"The Wind in the Willows" is the tale of Mr. Toad and his friends. The novel has four major characters:
1. Mr. Toad is the owner of Tudor Hall. Toad is wealthy but unwise! He enjoys bragging about his exploits and adventures. Toad is single being cared for only by a housemaid. He is sportily dressed and relishes reckless driving (no wonder a Disneyworld ride is called 'Mr. Toad's Wild Ride."!). Toad gets into all kinds of jams! He is arrested for stealing a car (which he only meant to borrow); is thrown into prison being rescued by the jailer's daughter; escapes with the aid of a nice railroad engineer
and returns home safely. Toad enjoys croaking like a frog over his exploits. At the end of the novel he is more mature giving up the adventures of the road. He is an unforgettable figure of satire and fun!
2. Water Rat. This rodent is a wise inhabitant of the river and meadows near Toad Hall. He is a good friend who will not desert his friends when they find themselves in trouble. Water Rat is brave leading the attack on the weasels and stoats who have taken over Toad hall due to Mr. Toad's incarceration.
3. Mr. Mole leaves his warm and secure home to go down the river with Mr. Rat, explore the Wild Woods and come to the aid of Toad. He is a trusting and innocent soul one comes to love.
4. Mr. Badger is a blunt old soul who lives deep in the Wild Woods. In a good chapter he welcomes Mole and Rat to his home after the two adventurers have been lost in the woods on a snowy evening. His son Piglet is rescued by Mole and Rat with the help of Pan the Piper.
These four animal friends teach children to be loyal and kind to one another. "The Wind in the Willows" has no cruelty within its pages. Grahame's charming little work ends happily as the four friends live lives of quiet joy.
The language in the novel is too difficult to comprehend for young children but remains a classic of English Young People's fiction. Kenneth Grahame is an outstanding author whose "The Wind in the Willows" will endure for generations of future readers.

True, this book is a classic. But contrary to some other reviews you may read on this site, the book earns its status as a classic. It's a brilliant adventure, and you won't be disappointed.

This is a story written for children. I honestly don't know whether this story would appeal to a child, but it seemed too cloyingly sweet to me.
It's a classic, which is the reason why I read it in the first place. I found the plot subservient to the descriptions of the way the animals live in their cute and cozy world, which did not endear me to the book.
It is quite possible that children will love this book for its imaginative drawing of a world where animals live as people. But, unlike other classics, such as "Narnia", "Peter Pan" or "Five Children and It", this one is not worth reading as an adult.

We've been fortunate enough to see a couple of the stories live on the stage at the Broward Center for Performing Arts, and my four year old loved it! I immediately went home and ordered him the books to keep his interest evolving. He loves these stories, and loves talking about his experience at the theater after reading them! The stories bring back memories from my childhood also, so I enjoy reading them too. :) They are great stories about friendship and adventures.

This series is an excellent shortened version for the early reader. I first played "The Wind In The Willows" DVD, narrated by Vanessa Redgrave, for my granddaughter and niece. We then read the Easy Reader Classic Series when winding down after a busy afternoon.
I sent my son home with the complete full length book by Kenneth Grahame for him to read (over a period of time), to my granddaughter during their "special" time together at bedtime. I highly recommend this series.