The Wind in The Willows is an utterly marvellous tale about five characters with their own rather distinct personalities.

First, there is Mole. A small fellow who befriends Rat, a wonderful water rat. And the two characters just adore spending the day rowing down the enchanting bubbling river whilst fishing or just rowing for the sheer enjoyment of it.

Then there’s Toad. A conceitful wealthy chap who dwells on the banks of the river in his magnificent Toad Hall.
Conceitful he may be, but his reckless enthusiasm for automobiles soon leads him to a dark prison. And the tales of the fellow’s getaways and deceiving pranks will indeed delight the ‘pure classic’ reader.

And of course, there’s the Badger. An intellectual fellow who would rather reside in his underground lair than be skedaddling about above. And the fellow truly despises the automobile and demonstrates to the reader how loathsome the automobile can be.

The story, written in 1908 by author Kenneth Grahame, had its 100th anniversary in 2008. It is a book teeming with the wonders of nature. I recommend it to any classical reader who appreciates nature, wildlife, and of course, great literature.

Yusuf, age 12