Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Wind in the Willows” as Want to Read:
The Wind in the Willows
(Les Classiques illustrés)
by
The Wind in the Willows is a children's novel by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Alternately slow-moving and fast-paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animals in a pastoral version of Edwardian England. The novel is notable for its mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality and camaraderie, and celebrated for its evocation of the nature of the Thames Valley
...more
Get A Copy
Kindle Edition, 176 pages
Published
August 8th 2018
(first published 1908)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Wind in the Willows,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Kasia
I suggest reading this article, https://lettersrepublic.wordpress.com...
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Wind in the Willows
Jan 19, 2012
J. Aleksandr Wootton
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
best-of
Trying to review The Wind in the Willows is a strange undertaking. In the introduction to my copy, A. A. Milne wrote:
"One can argue over the merits of most books... one does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. The young man gives it to the girl with whom he is in love, and if she does not like it, he asks her to return his letters. The old man tries it on his nephew, and alters his will accordingly. ... When you sit down to [read] it, don't be so ridiculous as to suppose you are sitting in ...more
"One can argue over the merits of most books... one does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. The young man gives it to the girl with whom he is in love, and if she does not like it, he asks her to return his letters. The old man tries it on his nephew, and alters his will accordingly. ... When you sit down to [read] it, don't be so ridiculous as to suppose you are sitting in ...more
So fun and whimsical!
An Edwardian children's book that ends with the reimposition by force of the traditional squirearchical social order on the upstart lower orders as represented by Weasels, Stoats and Ferrets.
It is a through introduction to traditional British conservatism, of the Country Life rather than the Economist variety, for children with a side order of mild paganism. As such is an unwitting counterpoint to The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.
As with How to Read Donald Duck, once you look at it and shrug ...more
It is a through introduction to traditional British conservatism, of the Country Life rather than the Economist variety, for children with a side order of mild paganism. As such is an unwitting counterpoint to The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.
As with How to Read Donald Duck, once you look at it and shrug ...more
Oct 22, 2019
Ahmad Sharabiani
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
scottish,
20th-century,
fantasy,
classics,
childrens-young-readers,
british,
literature,
scotland
The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows is a children's novel by Scottish novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908.
With the arrival of spring and fine weather outside, the good-natured Mole loses patience with spring cleaning. He flees his underground home, emerging to take in the air and ends up at the river, which he has never seen before. Here he meets Rat (a water vole), who at this time of year spends all his days in, on and close by the river. Rat takes Mo ...more
The Wind in the Willows is a children's novel by Scottish novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908.
With the arrival of spring and fine weather outside, the good-natured Mole loses patience with spring cleaning. He flees his underground home, emerging to take in the air and ends up at the river, which he has never seen before. Here he meets Rat (a water vole), who at this time of year spends all his days in, on and close by the river. Rat takes Mo ...more
Aug 05, 2022
Meghna Agrawal (On a Review-Writing Break!)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
A delightful and entrancing story for children to wonder and adults to ponder! :)
The protagonists, our incorrigible and exasperating toad, the loyal and responsible friends, the water rat and ever-gadding mole, and finally our revered badger.
It's about the forest adventures of the comrades rat and mole, luncheons, dinner parties, forest gala setting and hubbub, the vanity and conceited adventures of Mr. Toad and the sagacity of our revered Badger. All are gallivanting around in the forest, a pu ...more
The protagonists, our incorrigible and exasperating toad, the loyal and responsible friends, the water rat and ever-gadding mole, and finally our revered badger.
It's about the forest adventures of the comrades rat and mole, luncheons, dinner parties, forest gala setting and hubbub, the vanity and conceited adventures of Mr. Toad and the sagacity of our revered Badger. All are gallivanting around in the forest, a pu ...more
Mar 03, 2018
Bionic Jean
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-and-ya,
classics,
animals,
fantasy,
children-s-1900-1919,
read-authors-e-h,
humour
Some of the best children’s classics have started with an adult inventing stories to tell to a child. “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, “Winnie the Pooh”, “Peter Pan” and even “Watership Down” all began this way, as did many others. The Wind in the Willows is another such. Like them, it is a novel which can be read on many levels, and arguably has a hidden subtext. And like some others, its writing was prompted by a family tragedy.
Kenneth Grahame had already established himself as a talented w ...more
Kenneth Grahame had already established himself as a talented w ...more
I feel like I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately. It is not that I am reading a whole lot less, I am just not REALLY enjoying the time that I am reading. It might be that the whole family is in back to school mode, so schedules have changed. Or, maybe just the general ups and downs of life will occasionally put me in a “low interest in reading” category. All of this just to say that The Wind in The Willows is another victim of my “reading is meh” state.
When I first started this, I trie ...more
When I first started this, I trie ...more
This book is no plot, just vibes.
If you're in the mood to just think about forest animals wearing tweed, and picnics in rowboats, and dinner parties attended by a bunch of rabbits and stuff à la the third act of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr Fox, and it's cool with you if that replaces story altogether, you're in luck.
In short, if you want to get the same effect as if you looked at this picture for about an hour:
You're in the right place.
Bottom line: I cannot imagine children reading this book, bu ...more
If you're in the mood to just think about forest animals wearing tweed, and picnics in rowboats, and dinner parties attended by a bunch of rabbits and stuff à la the third act of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr Fox, and it's cool with you if that replaces story altogether, you're in luck.
In short, if you want to get the same effect as if you looked at this picture for about an hour:
You're in the right place.
Bottom line: I cannot imagine children reading this book, bu ...more
Jun 02, 2009
Anthony Buckley
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
literature,
politics
This book was written in 1908, when the world was being shaken by the newly self-confident masses. Women were propagandising for the vote; the Irish were demanding Home Rule; the Trade Unions were showing their strength. Socialism theatened. A spectre was haunting Europe, and particularly England.
Wind in the Willows is an elegant parable about class struggle, about the dangers of decadant country-house-living in the face of powerful revolutionary forces.
There are maybe four generations in the ...more
Wind in the Willows is an elegant parable about class struggle, about the dangers of decadant country-house-living in the face of powerful revolutionary forces.
There are maybe four generations in the ...more
A genuinely refreshing little romp through tunnels & pastures. Zen is something that's somehow--& very surprisingly--reached. This is the ultimate impression the reader is left with.
Outstanding, engaging and more fun than Aesop's menagerie, it moralizes vaguely on fidelity, the value of friendships & associations... The final sentence even addresses finally the main target audience-- the 'lil tykes and treasured ones; and even sustains with the theory that looks may be deceiving... the Badger i ...more
Outstanding, engaging and more fun than Aesop's menagerie, it moralizes vaguely on fidelity, the value of friendships & associations... The final sentence even addresses finally the main target audience-- the 'lil tykes and treasured ones; and even sustains with the theory that looks may be deceiving... the Badger i ...more
Apr 24, 2018
Bionic Jean
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
animals,
children-s-and-ya,
classics,
fantasy,
children-s-1900-1919,
caravan,
read-authors-e-h
For my review of the text of this wonderful book, please LINK HERE.
This review is for an excellent illustrated edition of the children’s classic novel, The Wind in the Willows. The text is complete, printed in a largish font in an oversize book, and the many beautiful illustrations are by the established fantasy artist, Michael Hague. The quality of his work has been compared with that of Arthur Rackham, and indeed I noticed a few nods and tributes to his talented forebear, even to the style of ...more
This review is for an excellent illustrated edition of the children’s classic novel, The Wind in the Willows. The text is complete, printed in a largish font in an oversize book, and the many beautiful illustrations are by the established fantasy artist, Michael Hague. The quality of his work has been compared with that of Arthur Rackham, and indeed I noticed a few nods and tributes to his talented forebear, even to the style of ...more
PART TWO OF PETER JACKSON'S THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS (CONCLUSION)
[Night. Toad Hall, interior. STEPHEN FRY as TOAD and ORLANDO BLOOM as BADGER are in the middle of a wild melée with numerous STOATS and WEASELS.]
BADGER: It's no good, Toad! There's too many of them! [With a blow of his cudgel, he knocks a WEASEL into the open fire.]
TOAD: We can hold them off, Badger old chap!
[EVANGELINE LILLY as a HOT BADGER-BABE crashes through the window and lands next to them.]
BADGER: [Choked with emotion] You ca ...more
[Night. Toad Hall, interior. STEPHEN FRY as TOAD and ORLANDO BLOOM as BADGER are in the middle of a wild melée with numerous STOATS and WEASELS.]
BADGER: It's no good, Toad! There's too many of them! [With a blow of his cudgel, he knocks a WEASEL into the open fire.]
TOAD: We can hold them off, Badger old chap!
[EVANGELINE LILLY as a HOT BADGER-BABE crashes through the window and lands next to them.]
BADGER: [Choked with emotion] You ca ...more
Why I chose to read this book:
1. My GR friend (and author), Holly Ducarte, recommended it to me; and,
2. it's a perfect read for my "Classics Month"!
Positives:
1. these interwoven animal tales were told as bedtime stories for Kenneth Grahame's son. They are warm and lighthearted with short, sweet plots featuring the loveable characters of Mole, Water Rat (I pictured a Muskrat), Toad and Badger;
2. speaking of characters, my favorite has to be Toad! Although quite conceited, Grahame expertly portray ...more
1. My GR friend (and author), Holly Ducarte, recommended it to me; and,
2. it's a perfect read for my "Classics Month"!
Positives:
1. these interwoven animal tales were told as bedtime stories for Kenneth Grahame's son. They are warm and lighthearted with short, sweet plots featuring the loveable characters of Mole, Water Rat (I pictured a Muskrat), Toad and Badger;
2. speaking of characters, my favorite has to be Toad! Although quite conceited, Grahame expertly portray ...more
This is one of those books I want to love; I REALLY, really want to love this book. I've read so many essays by book lovers who have fond, childhood memories of being read this by their father, or who ushered in spring each year by taking this book to a grassy field and reading this in the first warm breezes of May. I want to find the tea and boating and wooded English countryside to be slow yet sonoriously comforting, like a Bach cello suite or a warm cup of cider on a cool April night.
But I j ...more
But I j ...more
As a child I adored these tales. The TV show was great with real live animals from the riverbank and the calming voice of the narrator. Imagine living by a riverbank and having breakfast with the animals like Snow White. To watch the otters play. To listen to the water as it babbles over the stones and pebbles. To sing with the birds and marvel at the kingfishers with their iridescent feathers and absolute beauty. To wonder at the bees and butterflies as they collect nectar from colourful flower
...more
They don't write books like The Wind in the Willows anymore.
Today's books for children are sly rhymes, action and social engineering. Wind belongs to an older, more innocent time when even accomplished men such as Kenneth Grahame, A. A. Milne and J. R. R. Tolkien invented stories for their children.
Stories which over the years became classics of literature.
Wind isn't a fairy tale so much as it's life told for those who will inherit it. Told by those who love the inheritors.
Even if you've read ...more
Today's books for children are sly rhymes, action and social engineering. Wind belongs to an older, more innocent time when even accomplished men such as Kenneth Grahame, A. A. Milne and J. R. R. Tolkien invented stories for their children.
Stories which over the years became classics of literature.
Wind isn't a fairy tale so much as it's life told for those who will inherit it. Told by those who love the inheritors.
Even if you've read ...more
"Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not."
Reading children's classics/books which I have missed out during my childhood when I'm an adult is qu ...more
Reading children's classics/books which I have missed out during my childhood when I'm an adult is qu ...more
I have read this book together with my almost 7 years old daughter, let’s say she has read it to me...
The stories are a bit odd, but the friendship between the mouse, the badger and the mole is nice.... my daughter did not like the toad at all, classic character typical of our days " all pretensions and rights but no duty"
I found no particularly important meaning in these stories, except the friendship that binds this little gang, still accepting the Toad, despite all the trouble combined...
We w ...more
The stories are a bit odd, but the friendship between the mouse, the badger and the mole is nice.... my daughter did not like the toad at all, classic character typical of our days " all pretensions and rights but no duty"
I found no particularly important meaning in these stories, except the friendship that binds this little gang, still accepting the Toad, despite all the trouble combined...
We w ...more
Lavishly described meandering adventures of the mild nature.
The Wind in the Willows has an intrinsically English flavor. The characters are happy to live their ordinary lives with only a hint of interest in the wider world. Too strong of an adventurous spiritedness is considered uncouth. Such hearty frivolity as Toad's is frowned upon to the utmost!
Unfortunately this goes for the author, too. Kenneth Grahame's plots are not terribly gripping due to their lack of depth. He seems pleased rather ...more
The Wind in the Willows has an intrinsically English flavor. The characters are happy to live their ordinary lives with only a hint of interest in the wider world. Too strong of an adventurous spiritedness is considered uncouth. Such hearty frivolity as Toad's is frowned upon to the utmost!
Unfortunately this goes for the author, too. Kenneth Grahame's plots are not terribly gripping due to their lack of depth. He seems pleased rather ...more
Having first read this so many years ago, I found myself revisiting it with joy and some incredulity that it's still seen as a children's book. It's sublime - the poetry of the prose; the descriptions of the natural world; the sly PG Wodehouse humour, and most of all the jewel-like clarity of that very little world: the Riverbank; the Wild Wood; the World Beyond a kind of blur on the distant horizon. The characters are marvellous: combining some wonderful comic dialogue (which I can't help heari
...more
May 06, 2022
Carolyn Marie Castagna
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classics-i-ve-read
Oh Toad…
I was suspicious of this book when I was a kid. It's all, "Hey kids, here's a fun story about talking animals," right? And I was like no, this is just you banging on about trees. This is a pastoral poem in disguise. It's boring. This book is like the guy who comes into your classroom and sits backwards on a chair all, "Sammy the sock puppet is here to get real about abstinence!" It's like when your mom was like "I froze this banana and it's just as good as a popsicle!" It is not. Mom is full of
...more
If you have children and you have not read this gem with them, do it now. Go buy a lovely illustrated edition and make a memory that I think will last beyond childhood. Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger are characters worth knowing and visiting in childhood again and again.
When I closed the last page of this book, I was sad to see these characters go. I enjoyed the story, which had a classic quality from page one. There are numerous lessons to be learned here, the value of nature and how to live a ba ...more
When I closed the last page of this book, I was sad to see these characters go. I enjoyed the story, which had a classic quality from page one. There are numerous lessons to be learned here, the value of nature and how to live a ba ...more
Jun 15, 2022
Piyangie
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-young-adult,
scottish-lit
The Wind in the Willows is widely accepted as a children's novel. To some extent, this classification is justified since its story consists of the adventures of a Mole, a Rat, a Badger, and a stubborn toad. But the line is drawn there. The story may be told in the manner of animal adventures, but thematically it goes deeper catering more to the young adult/adult audiences.
The interesting characters of the Mole, the Rat, the Badger, and the stubborn Toad, and their adventures teach the values of ...more
The interesting characters of the Mole, the Rat, the Badger, and the stubborn Toad, and their adventures teach the values of ...more
And with just 6 hours to spare - the 2017 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge has been completed
The prompt: A book you bought on a trip.
A whimsical classic tale featuring Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad. We have sheltered Mole, venturing out to see the river with Rat. There's the stodgy old Badger who turns out to be much more warmhearted than anticipated. The fanciful Toad learns several valuable life lessons - one of which requires the garb of a grandmother during a prison escape!
Charming, fun and a bit c ...more
The prompt: A book you bought on a trip.
A whimsical classic tale featuring Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad. We have sheltered Mole, venturing out to see the river with Rat. There's the stodgy old Badger who turns out to be much more warmhearted than anticipated. The fanciful Toad learns several valuable life lessons - one of which requires the garb of a grandmother during a prison escape!
Charming, fun and a bit c ...more
Mar 25, 2013
Bradley
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
2018-shelf
Re-read now to make up for reading it a long time ago.
What did I think about it? The adventures of Toad, that inestimable peerage of nobility and intelligence?
Pfffttth.
Unlike the other classic I just finished, these talking animals have little to do with religion or politics other than a cameo performance from Pan. And that was just a little last minute grace. :)
So what did I think about the whole book? It's a comic buddy novel with very loud and distinctive Victorian animals having adventures, ...more
What did I think about it? The adventures of Toad, that inestimable peerage of nobility and intelligence?
Pfffttth.
Unlike the other classic I just finished, these talking animals have little to do with religion or politics other than a cameo performance from Pan. And that was just a little last minute grace. :)
So what did I think about the whole book? It's a comic buddy novel with very loud and distinctive Victorian animals having adventures, ...more
Aug 30, 2019
Diane Barnes
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
bedtime-books,
re-reads
My second reading of this did not disappoint. I never read it as a child, but the first time was many years ago, and I thought it was wonderful. It was equally good this time. I am usually a stickler for logic and some semblance of reality in my reading, but animals wearing clothes, toads that drive cars, rats that row boats, civilized animals using china and crystal and utensils; well, what can I say, I bought in. I was invited into the cozy burrows of Rat, Mole, and Badger, the opulent Toad Ha
...more
A delightful classic!
Mole, Badger and Rat (Ratty) are friends of the infamous Toad of Toad Hall. While his friends live the simple country life, Toad lives the life of a millionaire Playboy. one day while taking his friends for a ride in his carriage an automobile spooks the horse and overturns the carriage. Toad then gets a wild hair that he must have an automobile at all costs. Can toads friends save him from his very self before it's too late?
This is a great little story that helps tell child ...more
Mole, Badger and Rat (Ratty) are friends of the infamous Toad of Toad Hall. While his friends live the simple country life, Toad lives the life of a millionaire Playboy. one day while taking his friends for a ride in his carriage an automobile spooks the horse and overturns the carriage. Toad then gets a wild hair that he must have an automobile at all costs. Can toads friends save him from his very self before it's too late?
This is a great little story that helps tell child ...more
Ok, second attempt at a review after the damn interwebs ate my last one. Luckily I’m composing this one offline first.
To me Kenneth Grahame’s _The Wind in the Willows_ is a particularly fine novel. It’s a children’s story and normally that would get my back up. I’m generally not a big fan of children’s lit or YA, and to add to this I didn’t even read this book as a child and thus have the requisite rose-coloured glasses to lend credence to my love for the story. Somehow, however, this tale of th ...more
To me Kenneth Grahame’s _The Wind in the Willows_ is a particularly fine novel. It’s a children’s story and normally that would get my back up. I’m generally not a big fan of children’s lit or YA, and to add to this I didn’t even read this book as a child and thus have the requisite rose-coloured glasses to lend credence to my love for the story. Somehow, however, this tale of th ...more
Reread in audio. A book I wish I could hug. Visiting these old friends is always a joy and as an adult I love the wilder chapters where Grahame captures the essence of animal instinct. I do love these four creatures.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Goodreads Librari...: please add new edition for book (Done) | 3 | 25 | Dec 09, 2022 06:03PM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Page count | 3 | 10 | Dec 04, 2022 06:09AM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Please add page count | 3 | 8 | Oct 31, 2022 09:37PM | |
Goodreads Librari...: The Wind in the Willows | 4 | 11 | Jul 19, 2022 05:08PM | |
books to read if you like the wind in the willows | 3 | 12 | Jun 01, 2022 09:18AM | |
2022 & 2023 Readi...: The Wind in the Willows | 8 | 37 | Feb 17, 2022 01:08PM |
5,989 users
2,540 users
1,934 users
1,764 users
532 users
432 users
327 users
314 users
258 users
232 users
Kenneth Grahame was a Scottish writer, most famous for The Wind in the Willows (1908), one of the classics of children's literature. He also wrote The Reluctant Dragon; both books were later adapted into Disney films.
AKA:
كينيث جرام (Arabic)
Κέννεθ Γκρέιαμ (Greek) ...more
AKA:
كينيث جرام (Arabic)
Κέννεθ Γκρέιαμ (Greek) ...more
Other books in the series
Les Classiques illustrés
(1 - 10 of 11 books)
Articles featuring this book
Here at Goodreads World Headquarters, we ascribe to a hivemind system when it comes to books. Science has long known that the best method for...
119 likes · 37 comments
“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.”
—
1070 likes
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
—
293 likes
More quotes…