Books with title Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows

In this delightful dive into the bygone world of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows staunch Mole, sociable Water Rat, severe Badger, and troublesome and ebullient Toad of Toad Hall are joined by a young mole lady, Beryl, and her dear friend, Rabbit. Kij Johnson's stories have won the Sturgeon, World Fantasy and Nebula awards. She has taught writing and has worked at Dark Horse, Microsoft and Real Networks. She has run bookstores, worked as a radio announcer and engineer, edited cryptic crosswords and waitressed in a strip bar.

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said 'Bother!' and 'O blow!' and also 'Hang spring-cleaning!' and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gavelled carriage-drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air. So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged and then he scrooged again and scrabbled and scratched and scraped, working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself, 'Up we go! Up we go!' till at last, pop! His snout came out into the sunlight, and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow.

Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows is one of the classics of children's literature. First published in 1908, it continues to charm--with its delightful characters, Ratty, Mole, Badger and the exasperating but lovable Toad, its fresh humour and its poetic evocation of the English countryside. This lightly abridged edition is further enhanced by Eric Kincaid's beautiful illustrations. His delicate style, eye for detail and humorous touches add fresh charm to the story. Children will lose themselves in this exciting tale as they look at the enchanting illustrations and listen to highlights from the story on the accompanying CD. This is a perfect introduction to one of the great books of the English language.

A New World version of a classic, set on a New England coastal estuary in the 1920's. This is a story about the denizens of a very special river. For like their relatives on the other side of the ocean, this river had its own Rat, Mole, Badger, Otter, and Weasel clans. When a spooky nocturnal creature starts terrorizing the riverfront, Mr. Rat’s clever daughter sets to work solving the mystery and unmasking the culprit. But that is only the beginning of the intrigue and adventure one eventful summer.This lyrically-written book features a mysterious Native American prophesy, a suspected sea monster, a scavenger hunt with a surprising twist, persnickety weasels, a mysterious clue etched on a piece of birch bark, some hilarious hijinks by Mr. Toad’s son, a chatterbox bobolink, a devastating hurricane, a heroic rescue, a liberal sprinkling of gentle humor, nautical adventures in wooden boats, some historical fiction, an unusual square dance with fireflies, a campfire on the beach at night watching shooting stars, some scalding Advanced Praise, an outrageously conceited poem by Mr. Toad, and an snarky interview by the author. This story is set against the rural backdrop of coastal New England almost a century ago. All the natural history and science in this book is accurate and will inspire young readers to learn more. Most of the locations, boat names, and historical events are accurate for the times.

The Wind in the Willows, known to many readers through theatrical adaptations such as Toad of Toad Hall, belongs to a select group of English classics whose characters (Rat, Mole, Badger and Mr Toad) and their catchphrases ("messing about in boats"; "poop, poop!") require no introduction. Endlessly recycled, in print, cartoon and cinema, the ideas and images of Kenneth Grahame's masterpiece recur in the most unlikely places. Chapter seven, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", is also the name of Pink Floyd's first album in 1967.A sentimental British favourite, The Wind in the Willows is a far more interesting book than its popular and often juvenile audience might suggest. First, it is the work of a writer who had known considerable success in the 1890s as a young contemporary of Oscar Wilde, and who was also an admired contributor to the literary quarterly The Yellow Book. At that point, Grahame was employed by the Bank of England but, still in his 20s, was publishing stories in literary magazines, work that became collected in Dream Days (1895) and an even more successful publication, The Golden Age (1898).The text of The Wind in the Willows also encrypts a family tragedy. In 1899, Grahame married and had one child, a boy named Alastair who was troubled with health problems and a difficult personality, culminating in the boy's eventual suicide, the cause of much parental anguish. When Grahame finally retired from the Bank (as secretary) in 1908, he could concentrate on the stories he had been telling his son, the stories of the Thames riverbank on which Grahame himself had grown up. So The Wind in the Willows is a tale steeped in nostalgia, and inspired by a father's obsessive love for his only son.Within the text, the reader discovers two tales, interwoven. There are, famously, the adventures of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad with the canary-coloured caravan, the succession of motor cars, and the climactic battle for Toad Hall. At the same time, there are Grahame's lyrical explorations of home life ("Dulce Domum"), river life ("Wayfarers All") and childhood itself ("The Piper at the Gates of Dawn"). In most theatrical adaptations of Grahame's book, these lyrical elements are ruthlessly subordinated to the demands of the plot.Above all, The Wind in the Willows makes a powerful contribution to the mythology of Edwardian England not only through its evocation of the turning seasons of the English countryside, from the riverbank in summer to the rolling open road, but also through its hints of an imminent class struggle from the inhabitants (stoats and weasels) of the Wild Wood.Like the other books for children selected for this series – notably Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (no 18) and Kim (no 34) – The Wind in the Willows deserves recognition as a novel in which adult readers will find wisdom, humour, entertainment and meaning, as well as many passages of great literary power, together with characters who live on in the English literary unconscious.

In this delightful dive into the bygone world of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows staunch Mole, sociable Water Rat, severe Badger, and troublesome and ebullient Toad of Toad Hall are joined by a young mole lady, Beryl, and her dear friend, Rabbit. There are adventures, kidnappings, lost letters, and family secrets—lavishly illustrated throughout by award-winning artist Kathleen Jennings.Praise for Kij Johnson:“The Fox Woman immediately sets the author in the front rank of today’s novelists.” —Lloyd Alex-ander“Johnson has a singular vision and I’m going to be borrowing (stealing) from her.” —Sherman Alexie“Johnson’s language is beautiful, her descriptions of setting visceral, and her characters compellingly drawn.” —Publishers Weekly (starred re-view)“Johnson would fit quite comfortably on a shelf with Karen Russell, Erin Morgen-stern and others who hover in the simultaneous state of being both “literary” and “fantasy” writ-ers.” —Shelf AwarenessKij Johnson’s stories have won the Sturgeon, World Fantasy, and Nebula awards. She has taught writing and has worked at Dark Horse, Microsoft, and Real Networks. She has run bookstores, worked as a radio announcer and engineer, edited cryptic crosswords, and waitressed in a strip bar.Kathleen Jennings was raised on fairytales in western Queensland. She trained as a lawyer and filled the margins of her notes with pen-and-ink illustrations. She has been nominated for the World Fantasy award and has received several Ditmar Awards. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.