The Wind in the Willows Paperback – March 31, 1989

Although this is a classic children’s book, the Kenneth Grahame’s poetic writing style is a pleasure to read as an adult. The Kindle version did not have illustrations similar to the initial publication in 1908. The story maybe best known to American audiences from the 1949 Disney Cartoon The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. The anthropomorphic characters include Mr Toad, Mole, Ratty, and Badger. Toad is an eccentric squire who lives in Toad Manor along the river and has a penchant for mania. His obsession for automobiles (or motorcars) is fuels the main plot and motivates Toad to steal someone’s vehicle. This results in Mr Toad being sentenced to 20 years in jail. Throughout the Toad’s misadventures there are stand alone chapters that expand on ancillary characters of Mole, Ratty, and Badger.There have been several adaptations in multiple mediums, however, the original source material is worth the read. Graham’s scene description is unique for a children’s book. For instance, chapter nine opens with: “To all appearance the summer’s pomp was still at fullest height, and although in the tilled acres green had given way to gold, though rowans were reddening, and the woods were dashed here and there with a tawny fierceness, yet light and warmth and colour were still present in undiminished measure, clean of any chilly premonitions of the passing year. But the constant chorus of the orchards and hedges had shrunk to a casual evensong from a few yet unwearied performers; the robin was beginning to assert himself once more; and there was a feeling in the air of change and departure.” Simply beautiful writing. Kenneth Grahame wrote another well-known short story entitled “The Reluctant Dragon” which was also adapted into a 1941 Disney movie.

Read to my children and now to my grand daughter

“They recalled the languorous siesta of hot mid-day, deep in the undergrowth, the sun striking through in tiny golden shafts and spots; …and the long, cool evening at last, when so many threads were gathered up, so many friendships rounded, and so many adventures planned for the morrow.”It’s easy to see why Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows has become a revered children’s classic. The introduction to this edition sheds some light into Grahame’s motivation to draft this novel. Grahame experienced personal tragedy early in life when he lost his mother to a severe illness (the same illness that he ended up recovering from at an early age). Later in life, Grahame would read to his son (who had been born prematurely and was nearly blind) stories about animals. This was a sort of catharsis and therapy for Grahame, and, in this way, The Wind in the Willows was created as an inspiration of love.This novel is a fun and whimsical ride that celebrates nature, adventure and friendships formed. The quartet of memorable characters—Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad—explore the world around them, the secrets and dangers, through various episodes, and this sometimes leads them into trouble. Probably the one most guilty of this is Toad, whose personality often leads his friends having to try to save him from trouble—and himself.Grahame writes in such a manner to give the novel a magical feeling and atmosphere. And through the animals exploits and living life to its fullest in nature, we see the important themes of camaraderie, love, loyalty, and friendship explored.I happened to find a nice audiobook recording that I used in conjunction with the reading of this paperback, and it really enhanced the experience. I’m glad to finally have gotten to this wonderful classic.

I read this to my boys and they loved it. We love reading adventures where the characters are animals we see where we live.

5 stars it was a great book,at first I was skeptical about reading it but my dad read it when he was a kid,so he pushed me to read it.

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, was originally a series of bedtime stories for Grahame's son. It is still commonly considered to be a children's book, but it is too difficult for young children to read themselves, and many older children will no longer appreciate the simple themes it covers. I imagine that its chief appeal is to adults, although children might enjoy having some parts of the book read to them.The characters - Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad - are wonderful creations. Mole, Rat, and Badger are conspicuously brave and loyal creatures. They love the comforts of home and hearth, yet they constantly set off on one rescue mission or another without a thought to their own safety. Toad, on the other hand, is a boastful nitwit, and it is amusing to the reader to see him brought down to size again and again.In reading this book, you get the idea that Grahame had thought for a long time about what it is like to be an animal. He understands how their energy ebbs and wanes with the seasons, and he writes that it is a great breach of animal courtesy to ask a favor during the winter, when everyone wants to stay inside and doze during most of the day. In summer, though, the animals are often abroad throughout the night, and they may see the sky grow bright again before they return home. Grahame also has wonderful intuition about animal senses:"We others, who have long lost the more subtle of the physical senses, have not proper terms to express an animal's intercommunications with his surroundings, living or otherwise, and have only the word `smell,' for instance, to include the whole range of delicate thrills which murmur in the nose of the animal night and day, summoning, warning, inciting, repelling. It was one of these mysterious fairy calls from out the void that suddenly reached Mole in the darkness, making him tingle through and through with its very familiar appeal, even while as yet he could not clearly remember what it was."What calls out to Mole in the darkness is his home, and a great deal of this book is an enumeration of the pleasures of home: the snugness and familiarity, the comfort of a well-used chair in front of the fire, and the simple pleasures of the table. Highly recommended.