The Wind in Willows

Written by Kenneth Grahame

Narrated by Marilyn Langbehn

Mr. Mole, Mr. Water Rat and Mr. Badger are just a few of the animals that assume the roles of people in this charming, pleasant story for listener of all ages. When Mr. Toad of Toad Hall comes on the scene and acquires a motor-car, the real fun begins. "Ho! Ho! I am the Toad, sit still and you shall know what driving really is, for you are in the hands of the famous, the skillful, the entirely fearless Toad!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books in Motion
• Release date: Dec 15, 2004
• ISBN: 9781596073029

Kenneth Grahame

Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) was a Scottish author of children’s literature. Following the death of his mother at a young age, Grahame was sent to live with his grandmother in Berkshire, England, in a home near the River Thames. Unable to study at Oxford due to financial reasons, Grahame embarked on a career with the Bank of England, eventually retiring to devote himself to writing. An early exposure to nature and wildlife formed a lasting impression on Grahame, who would return to the Thames Valley of his youth throughout his literary career—most notably in his novel The Wind in the Willows (1908), which is considered his finest achievement and a masterpiece of children’s fiction.

Reviews for The Wind in Willows

[bkohl_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Perfectly lovely story about messing about in boats, wild boastful adventures and why one should never pretend to be a washerwoman if one has never washed clothes. The genius of The Wind in the Willows is the perfectly imagined non-human morality: everything is right when it's born of instinct. Animals eat, play in the summer sun, return home, and nap through the winter, as they should. My childhood copy (Galahad Books 1983) is missing a chapter: the one where the seafaring rat bewitches Ratty to go South. The flow of the story isn't interrupted without it, although I wonder why that one was taken out, and not "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn."

[rvhatha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Charming. I can't believe I didn't read this as a kid, but I'm kind of glad I didn't...not often you come across a book that you "wish you could read again for the first time," and it IS the first time you've read it! Mr. Badger is my new hero.

[rbeene-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun book, but I have not read it in years.

[liveshipvivacia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A cute story revolving around four animals and their trials and tribulations. There's nothing particularly substantial in it, although it should contain enough moral hints and cues for children to take note. Mr. Toad carried the story, partly because his behavior was so outrageous and that he apparently learned nothing from it, but the others, such as Mole and Rat, were real in their own way.

[feelinglistless · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As the introduction (written back in the 80s by Grahame biographer Peter Green) rightly identifies, although Mr. Toad made The Wind in the Willows famous, his action packed adventures are the least evocative and I’d go further to say he’s the least interesting of the characters. The best chapter, Dulce Domum, in which Mole desperately seeks to return to his own home despite its humbleness is an intoxicatingly emotional description of the inescapable connection most of us have to our own familiar four walls however else we might imagine they seem to others (and nearly had me in tears by the time the carol singers arrived). The loyalty between Ratty and Mole is also especially touching, not unlike that between Sherlock and Watson, the former often riding roughshod of the latter’s feelings until he realises he’s gone too far, guilt sets in and he shambles about making amends.

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not one of my favourites, but still a good classic read.

[dbsovereign · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reeks of anthropomorphism, but at least the animals retain some of their uniquely bestial qualities. Each chapter has some awfully charming aspects and they all seem to resolve themselves toward the end. This is ultimately a meditation on friendship and the very human foibles that seem to reside within all of us. Perfect for just before bed-time reading!

[johnthefireman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful children's book which, like so many really good children's books, is still of great interest to adults.

[wisewoman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kenneth Grahame's classic children's novel, The Wind in the Willows, is the story of a friendship, a picnic, an encounter with the divine, a daring impersonation, a jail-break, a secret passage, a battle, and any number of motorcars. It combines at once the fantasy imagination of a bank secretary and the comforts of a well-off British home, peopled by a collection of memorable animal characters whose foibles continue to delight readers of all ages. At least, they delighted this reader!As I read it this time, I was struck by how much it reminded me of C. S. Lewis's Narnia books. Grahame's tone is the closest to Lewis's that I've ever read: genial, oh-so-British, and wonderfully humorous (as when Mole "had started his spring-cleaning at a very early hour that morning; as people will do" (34)). There are also religious/spiritual undertones that occasionally come quite sharply to the forefront, but somehow never jar the tenor of the stories. The presence of the divine is a natural feature of the imaginative landscape of both worlds. Both Willows and Narnia are home to humanized animal characters who reflect all the ideas and mindsets of their creators. And yet these characters are faithful to the quirks of their species as well. I love the part in Willows when it is explained to us that animal etiquette demands that one should never comment on the sudden disappearance of another animal for any reason at all.Of course, Willows was published in 1908, while the Narnia books appeared in 1950–1957. So all my perceptions of Grahame being like Lewis are backwards; really it's Lewis who was influenced by Grahame (in his Poems, Lewis refers to some of Grahame's characters by name). Lewis was by far the most prominent author in my own childhood and so remains the standard by which I measure other similar works, but there is always room for more kindred-spirited literature among my favorites.Another fascinating fantasy connection I noticed—or imagined, anyways—is actually related to J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, in the invasion of the comfortable little British home and how physical force, actual pitched battle, is necessary to rout the intruders. Go adventuring, by all means, but your safe home may not be yours when you return...Though I alluded earlier to the classic status of The Wind in the Willows, I think Grahame is underrated both as an author and as an influence on the British children's authors who would follow him. At least, he was to me before this reread. This is an utterly delightful book that fully deserves its place among the very best of children's literature. And, like its company, it is just as delightful to adult readers as it is to younger. I'm already wanting to reread!

[lynleys-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this as an adult. My father owned it on cassette tape and every now and then I'd try listening to it as I fell asleep but it was perfectly soporific, and I never lasted more than a few minutes into the narration. It was only after seeing a stage version in Christchurch -- which I loved -- that I was prompted to read the darn thing. It is pretty good. A number of illustrators have gone to town with it as well, and I've since bought an illustrated version for my own kid.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My copy is actually a hardback with beautiful illustrations. I always found this fun, though I preferred the early chapters to the end.

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger have adventures in a pastoral fantasy version of England.I read this as a child, and it was one of my favorites. I was particularly fond of Mr. Toad and his motoring car.Read as a child (1970s).

[kassilem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I did not get into this book at all. I’ve never really been into the books about anthropomorphized animals as it is. I never read this book as a child either, and it seems it would have been better if I had. I thought there were fast parts and then slow parts but no consistent pace. And I didn’t really like Toad all that much. Rat and Mole were more to my liking. There were certainly undertones to the book but I thought it was a little long for a children’s audience. It’s checked off my BBC List reads now and I can now say I’ve read it and may read it to my children in the future but that’s about all I really got out of it.

[missboyer3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story centers around the animal citizens of an English riverbank. Each animal has a different personality, from easy-going Mole to the wise and wiley Badger, the spoiling-for-a-fight Weasels and of course boastful Toad, the owner of splendid Toad Hall who has too much money and too little sense to know what to do with it. The education of Toad by his well-meaning friends is a good lesson. The battle for Toad Hall near the end of the book is also exciting.

[drmom62 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As there are many different editions of this book and only one is represented here, I would say that many are worthy of a four because of the quality of the book in the illustrations. Many are only a two or three at best because they are knock-offs of the better one.

[eurekas_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely Marvelous!

[cmc_22 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A new edition of a classic book, with beautiful new illustrations. It’s hard to describe how wonderful the story and art are, and how lovely the animal protagonists are in their day-to-day lives.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Animals including Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and Toad, go on loosely connected adventures in various seasons and terrains. I listened to an audio version, and, even though the narrator did a decent job, I often found my mind wandering to other things as I listened. Since there isn’t much of a plot, I didn’t feel a need to rewind to catch the parts I missed. This is another classic I managed to miss reading in childhood. I might have more fondness for it now if I had developed a fondness for it then.

[desiree_reads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Adorable. Sweet. Cute. Great for animal and critter lovers of all ages.

The tale is told in a series of vignettes, rather than a cohesive story, much like many other late 19th and early 20th century literature.

Mr. Toad does take the overriding theme, however, once you get a way into the book. Toad loves fast things. He buys motor cars and wrecks motor cars. Then he steals a motor car, goes to jail, breaks out of jail, and has many adventures getting home to Toad Hall. Once almost home, he finds the stoats and weasels have take over his mansion. Can Toad, with the help of his friends Badger, Mole, and River Rat, get back his home?

This Barnes and Noble classics edition is lovely - leather bound with gilded edges, gold embossing on the cover, and beautiful, sewn-in satiny ribbon bookmark.

Highly recommend for your chapter book collection and/or home library.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It took me a little while to truly appreciate Grahame's prose, but when I adjusted to the style, these charming tales of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad truly found a home for themselves in my heart. This is, quite possibly, the greatest book ever written about the English countryside. It is magical at times, such as when they are searching for the lost baby otter, and it is joyous at others, such as when Rat meets his traveller counterpart - this is one of the great travelogues in the history of literature. And what can be said about Toad, except that he explains the life and career of Boris Johnson better than any other literary creation I can think of?

[ghost_boy-691444 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read this for the first time and really liked it. A book truly for all ages. Something about anthropomorphic animals and living in the woods gets me into the book. Really enjoyed the scene they see a vision of the god Pan. Makes you wonder. If you haven't read this story and need an quick easy read, then pick this one up.

[steve38 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a treat. Why did I wait until my advanced age to read it.

[etxgardener · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have never read this book and here at the holiday season thought it would be a fun read. Oh yes it was! Kenneth Graham's classic tale of the friendship between the upstanding rat, the loyal mole, the wise badger and the totally disreputable Mr. Toad is as charming today as it was when it was published in 1908.

[piemouth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Probably my dad read this to me, though I don’t have as many memories as I do of the Oz books. Reading it as an adult, I liked it very much, the way the characters embodied both animal and human characteristics. I loved their affection for one another.The illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard are perfect.

[m.belljackson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As soon as I finished, this book, I read the first two chapters again.

[belana-990668 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I read that this book was adapted to the protagonists being female, I decided to give it a go. The book didn’t lose any of its charm—on the contrary, due to the wonderful narrators, it was even more charming than any other rendition I listened to. Absolutely marvellous, and highly recommended.

[wyclif-371215 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Revisited this enchanting collection of anthropomorphic animal fantasies from my childhood, now that I have a child of my own. The adventures of Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and Toad hold a special place in my imagination, and this will be one to read aloud to J-Boy as a bedtime book. One needn't have any special appreciation for the Edwardian era or a golden, idealized Victorian past to delight in Kenneth Grahame's bucolic vision, nor interpret Mr. Toad as a stand-in for the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the lure of automation to be awe-struck by his prosody. Look for the edition with the original drawings by the renowned illustrator E.H. Shepard.

[entropydodge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Most of the tales convey a deep appreciation of the natural world, home and friendship, as presented from an unusual angle.Once acquainted with Toad's qualities, or, lack thereof, I did not want to spend time reading about his escapades. Had to force myself through these passages. I guess the tolerance and acceptance of his behaviour exhibited by Mole, Ratty and Badger, shows their goodness.I will take the book down from the shelf to read the Piper at the Gates of Dawn from time to time.

[amzzz_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A nice collection of stories about Rat, Mole, Toad and Badger. Lovely to think of Nan reading and enjoying these stories as a teenager!

[librolindsay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's all about the Rat.

Feeling a bit perplexed here. On one hand, it had its goofy, ridiculous, and sublime moments (particularly the chapter "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" for the latter--and how am I only just NOW getting that reference?!). The choice couldn't have been better for having Monty Python's Terry Jones as the reader for the audio. On the other, Mr. Toad is HORRIBLE. How does he have ANY friends? There are also some aspects I suspect aren't translating well between 100 years ago, when this was written, and now. I can *kind of* brush them off, but if I had children and were reading this with them, there would be a lot of discussion on what's not appropriate.