"The Wild Wood" and "Mole's Christmas"

by Kenneth Grahame, Ernest H. Shepard (Illustrator)

The Wind in the Willows

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy

Hardcover

Published March 11, 1991

About the author

Kenneth Grahame was a British writer. He is best remembered for the classic of children's literature The Wind in the Willows (1908). Scottish by birth, he spent most of his childhood with his grandmother in England, following the death of his mother and his father's inability to look after the children. After attending St Edward's School in Oxford, his ambition to attend university was thwarted and he joined the Bank of England, where he had a successful career. Before writing The Wind in the Willows, he published three other books: Pagan Papers (1893), The Golden Age (1895), and Dream Days (1898).

Reviews

[Denoramae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book belongs on my all time favorite shelf. The simple joy of opening the book and and reading about my mole and rat makes me smile. The beautiful imagery brings back summer days of hot sun, the smell of weedy blossoms and the buzz of bees working in them. I loved taking this book out by the creek in the long soft grass and reading it there.

The story follows mole through his friendship with ratty. This is a gentle tale of two friends that complete each other and make each other better by being friends. It is a truly wonderful thing that all of us wish to find in our own lives.

There is action, adventure with villains that pop up in the story. It is an children's story that can resound for the the adult, as you recognize the personalities types you have dealt with in you own lives.

[Jacquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a favourite of mine from childhood, and it was the first book that my Dad bought my Mum shortly before or after they were married. Various memories, both good and bad are attached to this book and for these reasons alone, this is a cherished book. Rat, Mole and Toad, especially Toad are all alive and well for me. The illustrations by Sheppard added immensely to the book, adding layers without taking away my own images of what the characters were like.

[Michele Savoie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recently read this book for the first time to my 6 year old daughter. Neither of us enjoyed as much as I had hoped. I had to censor some words as I read aloud; "ass" was commonly used and not with reference to a donkey.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bedtime story for Elaina!