The Wind in the Willows

by Sally Grindley (Adapter), Kenneth Grahame, Eric Copeland (Illustrator)

The escapades of four animal friends who live along a river in the English countryside--Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger.

Genres: Classics, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Animals, Adventure

48 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2000

About the author

I came into children's books originally as Editorial Director of a nationwide children's book club, though I had written and directed a children's play while a student at Sussex University, which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. I wrote my first two children's picture books in 1984 and was lucky enough that Anthony Browne wanted to illustrate the second - Knock Knock Who's There? It was published in 1985, is still going strong today and is one of my most successful.

Shhh! was published in 1991 and has known great success in France/Belgium in particular (close on 300,000 copies sold). It's success in the UK - it won the Children's Book Award - was hampered by the liquidation of its original publisher.

I became a full-time author in 1995 and now have some 150+ titles published, the most recent being L'Histoire du Soir in France, Belgium and Italy.

Feather Wars, published in 2003, was my first sortie into young fiction and was followed by the very successful Spilled Water, which has been published in some ten different languages and is very popular in schools as a class reader. It won the Nestle Smarties Gold Award (and I wound up being a 'Pointless' answer on the back of it!) Broken Glass came next and was a Sunday Times Book of the Week.

I'm currently working on picture books again and have plans to illustrate one of my own in the not too distant future - watch this space!

Reviews

[Duane Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kenneth Grahame's 100+ year old classic children's novel that has been read and loved worldwide. The timid Mole, the clever Rat, the brave Badger, and the incomparable Mr. Toad, who causes unending trouble for himself as well as all his friends. It's probably too dated for today's children who have been bombarded by the likes of Spongebob, Harry Potter and friends, and a thousand other distracting examples. It's a great story and if introduced at the right age should still be fun for children to hear and read.

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was first published in 1908, eight years after The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum. The protagonist in Wizard is Dorothy and that makes it more of a children classic for girls. This book, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS has four protagonists and they are all male animals: mole, rat, badger and toad. They're friends to each other and so I see this book as a boy adventure book and it should be teaching about male camaraderie to young boys worldwide since the time of its first publication.

My edition has the foreword written by a female known contemporary author, LUANNE RICE. She cited that Kennette Grahame wrote this book for his son (only child). Grahame grew up in his grandmother's house because his mother died when he was 5 years old and the death caused his father to become an alcoholic so the father sent his children, including Grahame, to the mother's home. So, this story with the river has a backdraft was based on Grahame's experience when he was growing up.

Nice book!

[Otis · Rating 5 out of 5]

very dapper gay animals!

[Katerina Koslover · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Wind in the Willows because it is full of excitement and adventure. One of my favorite characters is Rat, because he is kind and wise and always helps his friends when needed. Wind in the Willows is a good book because it helps you learn what NOT to do, like steal motorcars or make a speech that does not make sense.

[Dottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the dear little characters -- and Ratty's rowboat -- I had read stories from this but read the real thing while in Belgie. We made twice a year visits to a local kasteel for their garden tours and I have a picture of a green boat its oars shipped and loosely moored to a dock -- I keep the photo on the bookcase where it catches my eye often -- ah, Ratty, wish I could hang about the pond there again. Being as that isn't likely to happen -- I'll revisit Wind in the Willows again one day.

[Rachel Herschberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this version of The Wind in the Willows to my 3-year-old twins during naptime/bedtime. They delighted in the adventures of Rat, Mole, and Badger, and tsk-tsked at the naughtiness of Mr. Toad. I look forward to reading the unabridged version to them once they're a little older.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this when I was about ten, perfect age for it, and returned with much affection and nostalgia. It's very much a book of its time so probably not for everyone but I love it.

[Katie Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardcover
David K. Stone illustrator
1968

[Graham Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvellous!

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats,” says Rat, and his sentiment rings with truth (and inspired the delightful grass-roots magazine, “Messing About in Boats,” which I highly recommend to any part-time sailor). The narrative arc of this story treks from a slow start with Mole’s adventures and Rat’s waterfront life toward rescuing Toad, whose character drives the plot toward a happy ending. Well-developed characters, all exhibiting behaviors similar to their nonfiction animal cousins, make the premise believable. However, due to the laborious language (even if it’s beautifully descriptive, perceptive or astute) and lengthy and convoluted sentence structure (admittedly not unusual for 1908), I trudged through every page.

[Clive Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was about 10 I discovered this book in my grandparent's house. My grandparents were heavy smokers and their house, which still had working gas lights (although they used electric lights) was like a nicotine palace; everything was a shade of brown. Still, for me, it was a wonderful treasure trove of 78 rpm records, a "magic lantern", and even an out of tune piano in the parlour, which is where I found The Wind In the Willows.

Oh, the dismay of the dark woods, the pitter-patter, the eyes glowing in the trees! The stupidity of Toad - (don't we all know someone just like Toad? These days Toad would drive a Hummer. The invasion and takeover of Toad Hall, and the fight to liberate it! Terrific stuff. Harry Potter pales into insignificance beside it.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read this book, and going in I knew almost nothing about it other than having heard of the title. It's one of the most engaging, delightful books I've ever read in my life. I won't spoil it, but I found myself laughing out loud several times at the quirks, foibles and follies of our main characters.

This is not a children's novel in the modern day sense, and I must say that I felt cheated by our incrementally dumbed down education system that the poetic prose and delicious vocabulary like "appurtenances" and "imperious" would today be lost on the age group to whom it was originally intended. Delightful book, in my top 25 novels of all time in terms of enjoyment, characters and story.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is another book that I never read when I was a child, so I thought I should read it now. I didn't enjoy this at all. I'm not sure if I'm just too old for it now, or whether it's the writing I don't like. I think it's probably more the latter.

[TMM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Messing about on the river. Ducks are a dabbling up tails all. Gentle read. Humorous character of Mr Toad and wise, gruff and venerable character of Mr Badger.

Reminds me of a stretch of river in Oxford.

[Tammra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. It's very whimsical and fun........... but it tends to be long-winded and has it's fair share of purple prose.

It's one of those books that should be read in small portions, at least that's the way I needed to read it.

[Martin Bihl · Rating 3 out of 5]

a classic, and while not exactly my cup of tea, very good of it's type.

[Brianna Schenkelberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

one of my childhood favs

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So endearing, so cleverly written. Oh Ratty!

This is my mom's all-time favorite book and my mom has read more books than anyone eles I know.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

My parents read this book to me. Later I honed my own reading skills on this and others. I re-read it from time to time simply because I like it so much.

[Bridgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must read for any body!

[Wildmint13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Boop* *Boop*

[Ayon La Vanway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book when I was younger and decided to re-read it. I still love it!

[Cheryl S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

i really didnt like this book!!! i got really bored half way through and it was quite pointless

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely bedtime story for me and David.

Absolutely brilliant.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of my sweetest memories from grade school are of hearing my first grade teacher, Mrs. Gentry, read these stories.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thinking of this book and its marvelous illustrations still makes me smile, 40 years later. I only wish the ferrets weren't portrayed as such villains.

[LuAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book years and years ago from an ex-boyfriend. It was one of his favorites and thought I would enjoy it - and I did. A wonderfully creative and fun story.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't read it until I was 20. My kids won't be making the same mistake!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! I remember hours spent with my brother, sister, and I gathered around my mom as she read and re-read this book to us. So good!