Then he dipped his hairbrush in the water-jug, parted his hair in the middle, and plastered it down very straight and sleek on each side of his face and, unlocking the door, went quietly down the stairs to greet his guests, who he knew must be assembling in the drawing-room. Then he heaved a deep sigh a long, long, long sigh. sang this very loud, with great unction and expression and when he had done, he sang it all over again. He shook himself and combed the dry leaves out of his hair with his fingers and, his toilet complete, marched forth into the comfortable morning sun, cold but confident, hungry but hopeful, all nervous terrors of yesterday dispelled by rest and sleep and frank and heartening sunshine. “Aren’t they - aren’t they very nice people in there?” said the Mole, a trifle nervously. “We don’t go there very much, we river-bankers.” “That? O, that’s just the Wild Wood,” said the Rat shortly. For starters, we’re not really meant to read these animals as animals. Peter Hunt argues that The Wind In The Willows, despite its talking animals, isn’t a children’s book. LISTEN TO “THE WIND IN THE WILLOW” AT LIBRIVOX RECORDINGS Illustration by Michael Hague The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, first edition American printing with illustrations by Nancy Barnhart 1908 “Out on the lawn, roaring with laughter” WHO IS THE AUDIENCE? Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books (written 1924-1928). Idylls remained popular up to and including A.A. Idyllic settings were popular at the time.

This book is an example of a story from the First Golden Age of Children’s Literature. The Wind In The Willows is an Edwardian (1908) novel by Scottish born British writer Kenneth Grahame.

Michael hague wind in the willows