The Wind in the Willows, with eBook
Audiobook (Includes supplementary content)
0 of 1 copy available
Wait time: About 2 weeks
But this is nothing compared to what awaits him when he gets tangled up in the escapades of the indomitable Mr. Toad, the society-hating Badger of Wild Wood, and the easy-going Water Rat! Motorcars, gypsies, jailbreaks, and a weasel rebellion are all in store for these intrepid animals. Beyond mischievous life adventures, the story conveys the typical turn of twentieth-century life in Britain and the struggle between the noisy, common way of life and the genteel.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 28, 2008 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781400128488
- File size: 189503 KB
- Duration: 06:34:47
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 6.1
- Lexile® Measure: 1140
- Interest Level: K-3(LG)
- Text Difficulty: 8-9
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Reviews
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This classic adventure story, set in early twentieth-century Britain, features the lovable characters Rat, Toad, Mole, and Badger. Narrator Shelly Frasier's clear, pleasant voice carefully distinguishes these four creatures, and it's easy to keep their identities straight, though her throaty characterization of Ratty's voice occasionally makes one want to cough. However, Frasier must constantly switch from her native American accent to the British voices of her characters, which is somewhat distracting at first, though one gets used to it as the story moves along. The naughty toad is her best creation--she seems to understand his dreamy but destructive love of motor cars completely. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine -
August 1, 2002
Mary Jane Begin illustrates the classic story of Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Each chapter opens with a vignette and includes a full-page painting of a dramatic moment in the proceedings. -
Martin Jarvis gives such a spectacular performance in this classic woodland adventure story that it would be a shame to limit his talents to children. Jarvis gives each character his own voice, and individual personalities shine through as Ratty, Mole, Toad, and Badger jump into one adventure after another. Jarvis seems to enjoy Grahame's classic tale, and his enthusiasm and amusement are contagious. He flawlessly captures the hilarity of Toad's bad driving and times perfectly the rousing dialogue between characters. The selection of wind quintets between chapters emphasizes the pastoral scenes created by Grahame, making for five-star entertainment in a tiny package. H.L.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
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Listeners won't find familiar passages from Grahame's classic in this dramatization. Nevertheless all should be delighted with Alan Bennet's adaptation which portrays the familiar characters of Ratty, Mole, Mr. Toad and friends. There's great music, gurglings of The River, hoots from the motorcars and the sounds of nature the characters cherish. The whole presentation will entertain devotees and initiates of all ages. The program is a great example of how, with imagination and care, a beloved story can be changed from the original text and succeed beautifully. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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The magic unfolds from the first lines of Water Rat's soliloquy about messing about in boats in this captivating version of Kenneth Grahame's classic. Although it's generally considered a children's book, get a copy for yourself as well as the child in your life, as you won't want to give this away. Ralph Cosham's performance is a study in characterization without overdramatization. His Ratty is breezy and lighthearted, his Mole shy and considerate. His Badger sounds just like that gruff old man you once knew who had a heart of gold. And his Toad--well, his Toad is perfectly insufferable. Cosham sounds as if he is reading his favorite work of fiction, and his affection is contagious. Keep this nearby--it's the prescription for happiness. A.C.S Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
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Award-winning narrator Simon Vance has the perfect English accent for this 1908 classic featuring four anthropomorphized friends: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Vance's character voices are gently nuanced--discernible without distracting from the considerable descriptive prose that embellishes this tale of friendship and adventure along the riverbank at edge of the Wild Wood. He brings long passages to life, rapturously capturing the mood when Rat hears the mysterious piping of the demigod Pan or when Mole smells the urgent call of his underground home. Only the arrogant Toad is unmoved by the pastoral setting. Vance lustily sings Toad's self-congratulatory songs as he experiences wild escapes from motor cars. Vance's Badger is suitably gruff but kindly as he and his companions strive to rein in Mr. Toad. L.T. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
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October 1, 2002
A few literary staples get a new look this season, while others are adapted and retold. Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad return in Kenneth Grahame's turn-of-the-20th-century classic, The Wind in the Willows (1908), newly illustrated by Michael Foreman. The keepsake edition presents Grahame's unabridged text alongside illustrations of the picnic-bound Mole and Rat capsizing their boat into a watery blue-green world and carolers bringing Yuletide joy to Mole End. Back matter contains a brief biography of the author as well as reproductions of original letters that Grahame sent to his young son, containing the seeds of the story. -
June 26, 2017
A children’s standard for over a century is given a first class reading by actor Wincott. Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger are four lovable animal friends who live on the river. Together they enjoy a quiet life of picnics and boating. But adventures do touch their lives upon occasion, the most well-known of these being the fabulous Mr. Toad’s wild ride in a stolen automobile, an act that lands the childishly impulsive amphibian in jail, which then leads to a clever escape and further escapades. The prose and phrasing of the tales, first published in 1908, may be antiquated for today’s children, but actor Wincott’s exuberant reading is lively enough to catch the attention of listeners of all ages. His upbeat, enthusiastic narration brings vitality to every passage, poem, and personality. This audiobook is an excellent way to introduce young readers to this literary classic. Ages 9–up. -
September 1, 2003
Michael Hague illustrates three collections of time-proven tales. Originally published in 1910, Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess introduces a group of enchanting woodland creatures, the Merry Little Breezes, Reddy Fox and Tommy Trout among them, to a new generation of readers. Michael Hague's Favorite Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales offers nine classic stories including The Snow Queen, Thumbelina and The Little Mermaid, all adapted by Jane Woodward. And lastly, Hague portrays the lush habitat of Toad, Mole, Rat and Badger in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. The handsomely designed oversize volumes present Hague's artwork in framed spreads and spot illustrations, just right for lap reading. -
September 15, 2003
Inga Moore's illustrations lend a luminous air to the tale of Mole, Mr. Toad, Badger and Rat in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, abridged by Moore. She uses delicate pen-and-ink drawings and watercolor wash to convey framed images of cobblestone streets, spot illustrations of Badger's welcoming hearth and wide framed expanses of the countryside.
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