Download The Wind in the Willows Audiobook

" Wish I could give it ten stars... "

" I read this abridged and beautifully illustrated version to Cam over the last week or so. It was such a joy to share the characters and the precise, lingering language with him. Eg. "As he hurried along, the Mole saw clearly he was an animal of field and hedgerow, the ploughed furrow, the frequented pasture, the lane of evening lingerings, the cultivated garden-plot. For others the conflict that went with Nature in the rough; he must be wise, must keep to the places in which his lines were laid and which held adventure enough, in their way, to last for a lifetime. " "

" Fantastic book. The parts that were not hilarious bore unfathomable beauty of language. My favorite character was Mr. Toad! "

" I find myself aligned with the minority of people who didn't like this book; I wanted to like it but it's not at all my kind of story. The descriptions of the woods/river/fields/weather are incredibly long-winded and unnecessary, the characters don't have many appealing characteristics and are flat caricatures besides, and Grahame's decision to put animal characters like rats and toads alongside humans and to have them interact on equal terms struck me as incredibly bizarre and jarring. So, pretty much everything other people describe as "charming" was just weird and wrong to me. "

" Fun little story. Would be great to read with kids! "

" My childhood's favorite book to which I return every few years. The older I get, the more philosophical I find it. "

" First time I've ever read this book! "

" Tell me again how this became such a classic? It is SO WORDY!!! Shoot me now. This has felt like the longest story--a story in which nothing really seems to happen. Skip this one. :) "

" This was a VERY well written book! I rate it 4 stars! "

" The best book I have ever read. I have read it countless times since I was eight years old. It characterizes life using animals such as the meek mole, adventurous rat, impulsive toad, and the wise badger. My favorite part is the rescue of the baby otter. The presence of God, as described by Grahame, touched me with wonder even as a child. "

" This was a funny and truthful fable. Nature must surely be preserved. The Wind in the Willows gave me so much nostalgia. "

" Drug addiction, peer pressure, stick to your guns. "

" This an adorable book. I never read it as a child but was happy to read it as an adult. Boy are the adults thick in this book! "

" A wonderful romp through my childhood. "

" This was a funny and truthful fable. Nature must surely be preserved. The Wind in the Willows gave me so much nostalgia. "

" I can't believe this wasn't on my list of favorites! It belongs there. I do have to say that I enjoyed the Mole and Rat sections more than the Toad sections. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn chapter has been a tremendous inspiration to me and my writing. Just a lovely book. "

" I read parts of this when I was 7. It was pretty boring. "

" One of the "100 books". "

" This is one of my favorite books of all time. "

" I like it a lot. It reflects, with a child story, the victorian culture "

" I read this book as a child and I loved it, perhaps because I'm an animal lover or perhaps just because I like the idea of 'messing about on boats'. It's well-written and has a good pace, and although at times it's a little creepy, I love the joy and frivolity that seem to leap off the pages. Definitely one I'll come back to again. "

" I understand why Wind in the Willows is such a classic. It takes imagination to the extreme with vivid scenes and characters. There are lessons to be learned from Toad and his wild adventures, but the underlying theme of friendship and love between all of the animals is beautiful, with lovable characters like Mole, and Ratty. There are so many theme's to appreciate in Grahme's book, but overall it's just a great children's story that even adults can stil appreciate! "

" I first leaned about this wonderful English children's story when the father in an English family I'm friends with read it out loud to us - his wife, me (I was 25 or 26 at the time), and his two sons (one in his late teens, one 20). We all loved it! I now own it, have read it myself, and still love it. What sweet and enduring charm it has! What gentle humor! It's definitely for anyone who's still a child at heart. "

" I absolutely love this book every time I read it. The author writes with a style that keeps me coming back to read it again. I can visualize every character as I read the book, even without having pictures this time. The copy I just read did not have pictures, but the imagery was so good, I felt like I was right there with them. Fantastic read! "

" she said it was too boring, that she couldn't manage to finish. "

" I think I expected too much from the book. It was just an ok book for me. It is basically about a mole befriending a water rat. While staying with his new friend, mole gets to meet Toad, Beaver, Otter etc. Some parts of the book was real cute and I liked toad,, but some parrts were really boring... "

" While I appreciate the book as a classic, it just isn't my style. I tend to not enjoy excessive description and for whatever reason, the old school British novels are never my favorite. "

" This is a grown-up book disguised as a children's book, because a book about real men messing about in boats and getting in trouble on road trips would make us grown-ups realize our fantasies about the good life are just fantasies of irresponsibility and selfishness. But when you make it about a mole and a rat and a toad and a badger, and add in some of the best romantic/pastoral writing ever put to a page, you end up with a classic. There's a great abridged version perfect for children that should, in fact, be read to them near the beginning of every summer break so they have a sense of what they're supposed to be doing with all that free time. It is abridged by Inga Moore, who removes the waxing on (that any thoughtful adult would cherish but that is really too much for children) and makes the story just about the adventure. Her illustrations so perfectly capture the romance of the excluded language that you end up with the essence of the book intact. "

" What a joy to read. I was glad to cozy up to the hearth with Mole and Rat, and caught myself laughing out loud over and over again to the misadventures of Toad. E.H. Shepard's illustrations bring even more life to it -- I can't imagine reading an edition with any other illustrator. "

" This book said some bad words in it so I stopped at page 100. "

" I remember seeing the movie as a kid so I read the book and found it very weird. "

" Love love love this book! "

" Super cute and totally reminds me of my Gran. Glad I read it again after so many years. "

" I believe this is a must read for any Anglo-Saxon. A reverberating story of quaint country life written in captivating prose telling a grand, yet simple, story. I loved it! "

" it's a very light book but it concerns on the attitude of adults. "

" Two stars for being unable to finish. "

" One of my favorite books of all time!! "

" I grew up with this book and love the character's and story. Why can we not all be adventures like toad? "

" This is a must-read, enjoy the characters and their life philosophies. You will lose yourself in it. "

" Fun stories. The language can be a little hard sometimes for younger listeners. Shoot for 4th grade or higher perhaps. "

" I'm so glad to finally check this book off the list. It is one of those books that I feel I "should" read, but don't really like. The only thing that made it bearable was listening to Jim Weiss's audio version of it. "

" It's not possible to write a more enjoyable book. Best of the best, and a great edition too, by the way. Poetic, philosophical, human and warm. And of course quite funny in the most famous chapters. "

" Creative and descriptive, but, much like a lazy summer day, the plot lacked momentum. Also not a personal fan of human-sized animals interacting normally with humans. Glad to read a classic, but I won't be revisiting. "

" This is a classic for a reason. Full of wonder and characters you will remember forever. "

" Currently reading the 1969 printing with introduction by Mary Ellermann. The 1908 English is entertaining and sometimes a little awkward to read but there are some passages that are downright brilliant. Didn't think that I would enjoy it. Currently on page 106 of 218. This is a keeper. "

" What's not to love about Ratty, Moley, Badger and Toad.First read in 1983, aged 15 or 16. It captured my heart then & the romance hadn't faded on a re-read over 20 years later. "

" My favorite book as a kid. "

" Read this in one sitting. As good as ever. Read it in one sitting. "

" Another great book to read to your kids. You just have to love Mr. Toad. "Poop poop!" This book will really make you smile. It's great fun and beautifully written. "

" Marvelous, extraordinary. Escape to another world and in the end wishing you could stay. Embellished characters fanciful personalities, and enough adventure to keep you very busy. I will have an old copy of this book in my library forever! "

" I started reading this to my son, but he wasn't interested yet. I became attached to dear Mole and Ratty, so I continued on my own. I haven't read it since grade school. I enjoyed it all over again! "

" Fun story with a British writing-style that is difficult for children to follow. "

" Good to finally have read this one. I enjoyed it more than I had thought I would. "

" I LOVED this book. I read it during a difficult adult year and it reminded me of what's truly important, in a very gentle and sweet way. "

" i am wondering if this is where Pink Floyd got the name for their great song - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. "

" My first fantasy novel - young mind - loved it... "

" As great as I remember it from when I was a kid. Excellent for 10 year old boys - my son loved it. "

" I had a bit of trouble with this one. It's as if each chapter were written by a different person at a different time. While I really enjoyed the first few chapters, the book as a whole somehow didn't feel cohesive. "

" I've heard or read parts of this story over the years and decided to work through the whole thing. This was a fun diversion and a great lesson in using words to create mental images. "

" Grahame wrote a very lively story about the adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger. For a children's book, it has a lot of exciting elements: deceit, action/fight scenes, etc. I simply love children's books. "

" This is the charming children's classic, which I hadn't read. if you haven't, give yourself a treat. You'll love the adventures of Badger, Mole, Water Rat, and particularly the expansive Mr. Toad of Toad Hall. We all have a bit of Toad in us! "

" I read this book to my children. Classic. "

" Possibly the best book in the world. The Chapter V DULCE DOMUM - may be my favourite piece of writing ever! "

" i am wondering if this is where Pink Floyd got the name for their great song - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. "

" this was a entertaing book "

" My mom read this to me long ago at bedtime.....good memories... "

" Possibly the best book in the world. The Chapter V DULCE DOMUM - may be my favourite piece of writing ever! "

" If it has been a while since you have read this timeless classic, maybe an end of summer read would be the right time. "

" Just figured out that this is the book on which "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" is based. "

" The first book I remember my parents read me. "

" I loved this book alot. My favorite character was definitely Mr. Badger. Man! I wish I could draw animals in clothes like Mr. Badger! "

" Seriously, a "must read" - beautifully written with vivid imagery. A delight. "

" I read this book to my children. Classic. "

" I received this as a gift in Grade 3, which may be why I found the English used boring and gave it up. "

" Read with my father... I remember this book... It brings back memories... "

" I had to order my Alan Bennett adaptation from England. And it was worth it. The stage instructions/asides alone are hilarious. "

" I HATED THIS BOOK AND IT WAS TORTURE TO READ!HOW IT MADE 100 GREATEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS IS BEYOND ME! "

" I can't wait to read this to my kids and grandkids! "

" I loved reading this book to my children, and I can't believe I haven't read it until now. We were captivated by the gorgeous illustrations from Inga Moore and my children have started calling each other "good fellow." This is truly a timeless book. "

" A book I had to read at school, one that I actually enjoyed as a child and in later years my own children enjoyed watching the TV series. "

" I had a bit of trouble with this one. It's as if each chapter were written by a different person at a different time. While I really enjoyed the first few chapters, the book as a whole somehow didn't feel cohesive. "

" I gotta give credit for what the book is it's all right. Talking animals reminded me of animal farm and also it kind of gave a good lesson to those who boast themselves a bit too much. "

" I LOVED this book. I read it during a difficult adult year and it reminded me of what's truly important, in a very gentle and sweet way. "

" A very wonderful, sweet book! "

" I grew up with this book and love the character's and story. Why can we not all be adventures like toad? "

" Charming throughout. Enchanting even, at times. Sadly, the anthropomorphism is clumsy and out of place. Simply covering something with fur does not make it for children. "

" Read this in one sitting. As good as ever. Read it in one sitting. "

" I greatly enjoyed the common theme of friendship throughout the book, as well as Kenneth Graham's descriptive and, at times, mystical prose. "

" A classic children's book. This story will live for ever in a child's mind a delightful tale. "

" Strange book. The characters are in a strange limbo between human and animal, which can work but in this case just seemed odd for some reason. Has some slow but beautiful descriptions. Just an odd collection of occurrences really. Not extremely impressed overall. "

" Holds up after nearly 50 years for me. "

" while a smart story, it's a bit meandering without a real point. "

" Charming in a bucolic sort of way... "

" Love love love this book! "

" What's not to love about Ratty, Moley, Badger and Toad.First read in 1983, aged 15 or 16. It captured my heart then & the romance hadn't faded on a re-read over 20 years later. "

" i wasn't very interested in adventures of mole, the water rat and toad. "

" What a joy to read. I was glad to cozy up to the hearth with Mole and Rat, and caught myself laughing out loud over and over again to the misadventures of Toad. E.H. Shepard's illustrations bring even more life to it -- I can't imagine reading an edition with any other illustrator. "

" If the entire book were about Mr. Toad it might get 3 or even 4 stars. I simply didn't enjoy most of the rest. I tried--I really did. But in the end it was just ok. "

" It was long ago...but a must-read for children, or anyone open enough to see the theme behind a sweet little tale about anthropomorphic animals. "

" I recently re-read this book and found it as delightful as when I was a child. The characters are heart-warming, and the story is engrossing. It is a fun story to read whatever your age. "

" I've heard or read parts of this story over the years and decided to work through the whole thing. This was a fun diversion and a great lesson in using words to create mental images. "

" Cute story although I must admit I am not sure why it has received such rave reviews as a must read classic. "

" This book is over 100 years old now, & still as enjoyable for children now as it was when it was published in 1908. You can learn lessons from Badger, Toad, & crew, because Grahame takes the time to show you how smart the animals really are. "

" she said it was too boring, that she couldn't manage to finish. "

" This is an enjoyable children's book. The stories of adventure are less exciting by today's standards but nice stories about animal friends. "

" I can't resist any of the Penguin Threads collection, and this was no exception. I'd never read the book before, but remember being equally terrified and enthralled by the Disney cartoon as a kid, so thought I'd give it a chance. It's a charming little book, great for elementary kids. "

" This was a very cute and very fun little read. I like the style and the stories of friendship. "

" A delightful tale of camaraderie between 4 friends that meanders long through different adventures. "

" One of my favorite childhood books "

" My all time favourite book. From the first time I heard the story when my mum read it to me a chapter a night, to now some 40 years later when I read it every year. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Oh and I know we all associate with one of the characters, well I'm mole! "

" I can't wait to read this to my kids and grandkids! "

" Loved this one as a child. "

" I listened to an audio version of this, and found it somewhat entertaining. The best chapters are those with the toad.

Fine book for children (advanced reading level), lots of lessons that can be learned, though they use "ass" about 12 times. "

" A classic. Every bit as good when reading it in my adult life as it was in my youth. "

" water rat mole toad and all fun childrens story "

" Where have I been all my life? I had never read this book and didn't know what I was missing! The whimsical descriptions, the characters, and the charming pastoral setting make it a delightful escape. I can only wish I had read it as a kid; guess reading it now is the next best thing! "

" Mine is a leather bound issue, part of a collection Dalmatian Press released in 2004. "

" Fantastische Welt. Tolle Charaktere und vieles zu entdecken in dieser Geschichte. Lässt sich schwer beschreiben, sollte man erlebt haben. Für jedes Alter geeignet. "

" Such a cute story... could read it over and over again. and it would be a quick read if I didn't read it on my phone. "

" I never read this as a kid, but I kind of wish I had. I loved books about animals that were pretty much people (Redwall, anyone?) and this was really good. The characters were funny and the book made me laugh pretty much throughout. "