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    The Wind in the Willows
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    The Wind in the Willows
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    The Wind in the Willows
    Audiobook6 hours

    The Wind in the Willows

    Written by Kenneth Grahame

    Narrated by Jim Weiss

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this audiobook

    This hardcover edition of the classic tale of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS has been read and loved by children for generations. Start a new tradition of reading this timeless tale in your home today!
    •Fully illustrated in color, bringing each tale to life
    •Filled with humor, adventure and imagination for children of all ages
    •Great first-time reading for children as well as reading again for parents and grandparents
    •Beautiful story and unforgettable characters
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateDec 18, 2007
    ISBN9780307916129
    Author

    Kenneth Grahame

    Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. After the death of his mother and abandonment by his father, Grahame went to live with his grandmother in Berkshire, near the River Thames. He pursued his passion for writing while maintaining a career in banking. He enjoyed great success in both endeavors. The Wind in the Willows was originally written in parts and given in letter to his son.

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    Reviews for The Wind in the Willows

    4/5

    3,172 ratings131 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I managed to avoid somehow or other reading the complete Wind in the Willows until I was well into adulthood. Of course, it is probably impossible to escape bits of it such as Ratty's wise words...'Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing...."But I found myself reading the full version around the 100 year anniversary of its original publication in 1908. And, despite myself. Quite enjoyed it. There is a bit of the class struggle reflected in it with Toad representing the worst of inherited wealth and privilige and ratty the best blend of smarts and good-heartedness. But really, I didn't buy this book for the story and I already have 3 other copies of the W/W. I bought for the wonderful illustrations by Robert Ingpen. He really is a favourite illustrator of mine. And, as is pointed out in the preface, it is no mean challenge to illustrate a book where everyone has their own mental pictures of Toa's caravan, or of the wild wood, or ratty and Mole's boating expedition etc. But, to my mind, the Ingpen version is simply one of the best, His style is semi realist.....realist enough for one to enjoy the warmth of Badger's fire and the food hanging from the ceiling of his abode. (p 60-61). It doesn't do to be too critical however; Badger's kitchen is true to the text with the glow and the warmth of the fire-lit kitchen whereas a REAK Badger's lair would be pitch black and maybe damp and certainly smelly. There is so much fun detail in Inpen's paintings. (I assume they are watercolour) but not quite sure. And they fade into a blurriness that hints at more details but just not enough to resolve. His draftsmanship is superb and he manages to faithfully portray the various animals whilst bestowing a pleasing familiarity upon them. I don't know how many illustrations there are in the book but did a quick sample count and it averages out at 7.5 illustrations per 10 pages. That is a wealth of illustration and fit makes the book a delight to read to children. Some of my favourite illustrations are of mole in the wild wood with the rabbit p 50; Badger leading Rat and Mole through underground passageways p76; Rat and Mole in the rowing boat just prior to dawn p121; the weasels, armed to the teeth attacking Toad hall.....p195. But these are just a few of the absolute gems in the book. Strongly recommend it.
    • 4/5
      Not necessarily an avid children's book reader beyond my trusty Hardy Boys....but i recently saw a local community theater production of this, and in between the time i purchased the ticket and actually saw the play, this book showed up in a box of odds and ends someone gave me.....it seemed like fate was telling me to read it....So i did! And what a beautifully illustrated work this is. The fantastical world of these animals came to life for my stifled and stiff brain so much more so than had it not been just littered from end to end with gorgeous vivid drawings in both Black & White and Color
    • 4/5
      The Wind in the Willows is as daffy and charming as it must have seemed when it was first published in 1908. Kenneth Grahame’s classic children’s novel follows the anthropomorphic adventures of several woodland creatures, primarily Mole, Rat, Badger, and Toad. They enjoy many pastimes, including “messing about in boats,” Christmas caroling, and driving motor cars. This last becomes Mr. Toad’s passion, landing him in all sorts of trouble and, eventually, a dungeon. The animals have many adventures along the river and in the Wild Wood, but they all love home best, where they like to cozy up in front of a fireplace and enjoy simple meals with friends. What makes the book so funny is how the animals live alongside people, doing people things, but without exciting comment. And they do it all regardless of the comparative size of things. Mole and Rat harness a horse to a gypsy caravan, field mice slice a ham and fry it for breakfast, Toad drives people cars and wears a washerwoman’s clothes to escape from prison. It is easy to see why this book remains popular. Among other claims to fame, Teddy Roosevelt said he read it several times, P.G. Wodehouse was clearly influenced by the lighthearted humor (one of his novels, Joy in the Morning, shares the same title as the carol sung by the field mice), and it shows up as one of Radcliffe's Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century. Also posted on Rose City Reader.
    • 3/5
      Surprisingly decent.
    • 3/5
      I have never read The Wind in the Willows but enjoyed this moralistic story. I cannot believe that the story was intended for children, as underneath the characters reside many moral stories. The Toad represents a greedy, egotistic individual that must undergo a transformation. His friends, the Rat, the Badger, and the Mole, remain loyal in efforts to assist the Toad. The Toad encounters a lengthy journey of self-discovery and remains set on his misbegotten path. The story spends numerous pages on description that would bore a child. A child needs more action and less speech.
    • 2/5
      Ratty, Mole and Badger become great friends when they meet at the riverbank, and in the Wild Wood. But it seems impossible to them to keep close friendships with Toad, the owner of the great Toad Hall. He does not understand the traditional culture of peaceful animals, and goes against the rules entirely - it's up to the three 'normal' animals to bring him back to the good-natured animal he used to be.

      He comes up with random likings to completely different things - once, he went on about boats, and a few days later, forgot all about them and whenever they were mentioned said what utter badness they caused and were. But this time, he has taken a liking to motor cars, and he steals and robs them, and when he does, drives them terrifically horribly.

      Ending up in prison and in even more trouble than when he was driving about in the motor car, Toady was upset and missed his beautiful Toad Hall. And even when he escapes with the gaoler's daughter, he returns to the mansion to find that it has been taken over by the evil stoats and weasels!

      It's up to him, Ratty, Mole and Badger to get it back for Toad. And when they do, will he turn to that ordinary young Toady he so used to be?

      Goes on a bit, I suppose; but then, it uses good words and phrases, unlike the modern-day books, which are filled not with, '"Come, Moly, let us take back the Hall! Toady, you should know better!"', but with, 'She still looked stunningly beautiful.' and that sort of thing. Still, I would rather it didn't have so much description-this-description-that.
    • 4/5
      What a sweet, lovely listen! Somehow I managed to totally miss this when I was a child. Even with my waning interest in kid lit, this darling tale captivated me. There's adventure and silliness seasoned well with kind friendship.
    • 5/5
      Excellent comfort book for when the day has been just that bad.
    • 4/5
      Wonderful children's classic.
    • 4/5
      It is great to read an old classic!
    • 5/5
      I suppose I was in the mood for this book, but it was a sheer delight and it immediately became a favorite book. My copy has an introduction and afterword, as well as a brief author bio written by Jane Yolen which I really appreciated. We only have a small cast of central characters here, a mole, a water rat, a badger and a toad, 'Mr. Toad'. I adore Mole and Ratty. I found myself loving every one of them, maybe even Mr. Toad. This is a children's book for grown-ups as well as mid aged kids. When I got to chapter 7, titled "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" my mouth dropped open. My copy only has a few illustrations in it - lovely black and white drawings, and the artist is not credited, although I think I deciphered the name Zimic. Then I decided that artist Tricia Zimic created the delightful cover illustration as well as the interior pen and ink drawings.I much more partial to the early half of the book, the rather nostalgic, pastoral adventures of Mole, Rat and Badger as well as the Piper piece in the middle. As Jane Yolen notes, this is really three sorts of stories in one book.
    • 4/5
      I know I'd read this book as a kid, but have always been a bit surprised by how little impression it apparently left on me and how little I remembered about it. So a revisit seemed in order.And... Well, it's a perfectly fine kids' book. The writing is good, and doesn't condescend to or oversimplify itself for young readers, which I approve of, although a few of the hymn-to-nature passages do get to be a little bit much. And Toad is kind of a fun character; the chapter where his friends stage an intervention for him for his automotive addiction made me laugh out loud. But I can kind of see how kid-me didn't find it all that memorable. I just never quite felt as charmed by it as its reputation suggests I should be. It's nice enough, but when it comes to classic talking-animals-in-the-woods-of-Britain stories, it's never going to rival Winnie-the-Pooh for a place in my heart.
    • 5/5
      Priceless!
    • 4/5
      There is a brilliant book here - absolutely whimsical childlike adventuring brilliance! Unfortunately a lot of rubbish got mixed up with it somehow. For a vastly improved reading experience read these chapters:

      Chapter 1 - The River Bank
      Chapter 2 - The Open Road
      Chapter 3 - The Wild Wood
      Chapter 4 - Mr. Badger
      Chapter 5 - Dulce Domum
      Chapter 9 - Wayfarers All
      Chapter 7 - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

      This pretty much cuts out Toad, and ends on the highest of notes. I'm really pretty sore about reading all the crappy adventures of Toad, but I did love the rest. I had better come back in a year, follow my own advice and review again
    • 3/5
      The Wind in the Willows is an odd book in that it is meant for children yet has chapter titles such as "Dulce Domum", "Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears", "The Return of Ulysses" and most famously "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn". Some of these chapters are stand alone with only a few threads of plot to interconnect them. In fact there is very little plot as the book is about friendship and maintaining the status quo. It's a very conservative book. I read it last forty years ago and can remember as a child being confused but somehow affected by The Piper at the Gates of Dawn chapter. Reading it as an adult, it is clearly the best part of the book. Still dislike Toad though.
    • 4/5
      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."
    • 5/5
      Absolutely Marvelous!
    • 4/5
      Cute adventures of Mr. Toad and his friends. The story where they meet Pan seems out of place.
    • 4/5
      The Wind in the Willows opens in a bucolic way, as Mole ventures out from home and meets up with Rat, and the two gentlemanly country animals become fast friends. Soon Badger is added to their troop. But then there is Mr. Toad, a wealthy, vain wastrel, who flits from one ridiculous obsession to another.The book sort of splits then, with some chapters following the adventures of the idiotic, boastful, live-for-the-moment Toad, while other chapters focus on the other friends. Those chapters tend towards dullness, for while Mole, Rat and Badger are definitely the characters one might like if one knew them, they do not have interesting adventures. They go about being polite to each other and enjoying a pretty day. Toad on the other hand, wrecks automobiles, steals automobiles, goes to jail, escapes from jail, and on and on. I didn't enjoy the book on the whole as much as I expected to from such a renowned classic; good, but not great in my mind. The duller chapters weighted it down. I also found the presence of humans in this world disconcerting. Seems to me all of the characters should have been animals.
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to love this book. It started off well, but it just started feeling like a chore to read. With just another 50 pages to read, I can't get motivated to finish. Was there some reason why there weren't any female animals/characters?
    • 4/5
      A beautiful children's book which, like so many really good children's books, is still of great interest to adults.
    • 3/5
      Yes, it's a classic, and it definitely deserves that space. But it's also really meandering and slow and semi-plotless. I'm glad I re-read it after many years away.
    • 5/5
      UPDATE: Finished this book- twas well worth re-reading. I loved this edition, the illustrations were especially beautiful!






      I am reading this book once again. A different edition this time, this one illustrated by Inga Moore. The story, pictures and layout are relaxing and engaging, especially at this time in my life. Looking at meadows and streams and reading about carefree days is just what I need right now.
    • 5/5
      Five reasons why I love Wind in the Willows1. Playfulness: It’s pure delight when Mole decides to drop his spring cleaning and begin to enjoy a day of rest and play and leisure in the company of his new found friend, Ratty. Grahame reminds us of this essential part of “human” life, remember to take time of to enjoy life and rest and have fun. 2. True friendship: This is specially seen in the way they have patience with the silly conceited Toad and keep rescuing him and save him from himself. As William Horwood writes in the preface: “Kindness is at the very heart of “The Wind in the Willows”, the kindness that makes one character put the interests and needs of another first. For these are not characters out to gain advantage over each other.”3. Sweet Home (Dulce Domum): The scene where Mole feel homesickness and they decide to find his place and he invites Ratty in to his humble dwellings is priceless. Even the caroling field mice have a feast there. It reminds me of this essential breathing space - a home where meals unite family and friends - an almost holy place where we find renewed energy. 4. Transcendence: How to interprete the chapter “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”? The mysterious Friend, nature god Pan, this awe and reverence in the presence of something transcendent - the feeling of both joy and sadness. It’s just a miracle. 5. Poetic nature: Grahames poetic descriptions of nature is remarkable. You just feel a desire to experience it all in its fullness. The wind, the grass, the sun, the snow, the river bank.
    • 4/5
      The Wind in The Willows is a highly inventive, very English story about the rich spoiled Toad and his worthy friends, Rat, Mole, Badger, etc. It has become a timeless classic that appeals to all ages. This would make an ideal read aloud story for children as an adult could help with the pacing and perhaps put on interesting voices for the various characters.A morality tale that praises the value of friendship and community, this story has it’s slightly dark moments, but over all it is a gentle tale that paints a strong picture of English country life as we would all wish it to be. This very comforting read delivers it’s message in a subtle, humorous fashion helped by it’s Edwardian pastoral setting and woodland creatures who have very human characteristics.I read this book in short installments through the Daily Lit on-line site, and found myself so looking forward to my next installment that I often didn’t wait but pushed the button for immediate delivery of the next chapter.
    • 4/5
      My only previous exposure to The Wind in the Willows comes from Disney's animated film The Adventures of Mr. Toad and the Disneyland attraction Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Reading this fun little novel was a similar and yet very different experience altogether. The Disney movie and ride are both quite adventurous and action packed. The book does have action sequences and rising plot points but much of the novel is a quaint relaxing view into the lives and relationships of people...er, I mean, animals. The Disney films focus primarily on Mr. Toad and his exploits while the novel begins with young Mole meeting Rat and learning about life on the river. Much of the book revolves around their growing friendship and the experiences they have together. We learn about the different motivations and lifestyles of the various creatures living on the river and in the nearby wood. An unspoken class system is explored as well as the nature of maturity and taking responsibility for one’s station in life. Mole and Rat are young carefree creatures and yet they are down to earth and acknowledge the relationship and responsibility of being part of a community. Toad is at the high end of the class structure but at the lower end of the responsibility scale. He is rather egocentric and impulsive, thinking only of his next thrill or what accolades he can obtain to brag about in his next conversation. Badger is initially presented as sort of a stand-offish curmudgeon but as you get to know him you find him as the stalwart established member of society who uses his station and responsibility to help the less fortunate even while berating them for their own behaviors that brought their world crashing down around their shoulders.** Semi-spoiler plot descriptions in following paragraph **The novel is subtle in the lessons it teaches about responsibility, respect, loyalty and other concepts. It takes the reader through a number of shorter sequences each building a framework for the final climactic segments with Mr. Toad and Toad Hall that Disney used in their movie. We first see Mole take a break from cleaning and meeting Rat on the river and then learn all about boating and relaxing and enjoying the water. We meet Toad as he drags the reluctant Rat and Mole on a trip in his new horse drawn caravan only to leave them in the ditch picking up the pieces. We see Mole carelessly wandering off into the woods and getting lost with Rat bravely searching after him. We meet Badger and find him shake off his gruff demeanor to help his friends and neighbors. We find Mole's home (which he abandoned mid-spring-cleaning in the first chapter) and learn more about his background. We get a little bit of River mythology as Mole and Rat go on a quest to find a missing child. We also see Rat toy with the ideas of leaving his quaint river for the larger world. Finally, we follow Toad as he continuous along his impulsive path of self-destruction before finally agreeing to get help from his friends and striving to be a better Toad.** End spoiler **All of these stories keep the plot going and engage the reader (both young and old) with fun anecdotes and wry humor. The general pacing is slow and calm like a gentle country river but it has depth and beauty that should be looked at from different angles and appreciated for the great experience that it is. Young readers will have fun with the story and may get some ideas about "proper" behavior and how they should interact with and treat others. Older readers may think about larger societal relations and stereotypes that should perhaps be reconsidered or adapted. This is a book that should be read with the mind of a person relaxing in the country and appreciating the life of a simpler time and place but with the intent to take the feelings and lessons back with you as you return to the larger, busier world.****4 out of 5 stars
    • 5/5
      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!
    • 3/5
      They are such boys! Quite uncivilized, except when it comes to the codes of honor and of hospitality. They do love their food and their adventures - but then, they don't need to make a living.

      Tasha Tudor's illustrations are wonderful: she makes the landscape enchanting and the friends handsome (Ratty most of all ;). The language is both witty and lyrical, and accessible (not the least bit difficult to read even after all these years). The personalities are vibrant - especially Badger's, and the stories are either mythic or hilarious, or both.

      What surprised me was that these aren't just a unified series of adventures. I imagine most readers skim over Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Wayfarers All; maybe they're even left out of abridgments. I know it'd take me another reading to appreciate those fully. But they definitely belong in the book and enhance its appeal in the sense that the child reader knows *something* wonderful is being shared, and he's expected to be able to strive for it.

      But I don't like how there is no consistent sense of the animals' relation to humans. I mean, sometimes they're small enough to burrow in the riverbank, and sometimes they're big enough to drive motorcars. Mostly they live their lives undetected, but even the barge-woman knows of Toad Hall. I never did read this as a child, and now I know why - I was too pragmatic.
    • 4/5
      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!
    • 4/5
      Interesting to revisit an old friend. The good bits are still good, but I really can't warm to toad. I kept getting distracted by wondering how they earned a living and what size they were meant to be - the disadvantage of growing up.