The Wind in the Willows [Paperback]

One of the most celebrated and beloved works of literature ever written for young readers

Meek little Mole, wilful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant, boastful Toad: over one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly and friendship. And their misadventures - in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their beloved Wild Wood - continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son,The Wind in the Willowsis a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie. 

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.“It is what I call a Household Book . . . a book which everybody in the household loves, and quotes continually ever afterwards; a book which is read aloud to every new guest.”
–A. A. MilneKenneth Grahame(1859-1932) English bank official, writer, author of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS (1908), set in the idyllic English countryside. The work established Grahame's international reputation as a writer of children's books and has deeply influenced fantasy literature.

Gillian Averyis a historian of children's books. Her publications include Childhood's Pattern: A Study of the Heroes and Heroines of Children's Fiction, 1770-1950, and Behold the Child: American Children and Their Books, 1621-1922.Chapter I

The River Bank

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleanilÓ4