The River Bank: And Other Stories from The Wind in the Willows [Hardcover]

Kenneth Grahame (Author), Inga Moore (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 1996 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Offers several stories from the classic The Wind in the Willows, bringing to life the charming cast, including impulsive Mole, rash Mr. Toad, the Badger, and others.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

a makeover for mole Inga Moore's exquisite new color illustrations for The River Bank: And Other Stories from 'The Wind in the Willows' situate Kenneth Grahame's classic story in a disarmingly pretty English countryside, from lush, leafy riverbed to impossibly delicate snowscape. Her ink and pastel artwork shares the fineness of Ernest H. Shepard's original illustrations, but has its own luminous glow and easy-going humor. The text selections, what the flap copy calls "the very best moments" from the first five chapters of the book, snake around the illustrations.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4?Moore has freshened up five stories from Kenneth Grahame's classic with her exquisite pastel crayon-and-ink drawings. "The River Bank," "The Open Road," "The Wild Wood," "Mr. Badger," and "Dulce Domum" are sequential in their stories of Rat and Mole and their misadventures in the English countryside and Wild Wood, where Badger lives. Their fast and lasting friendship is intertwined with all the other characters children know and love: Otter, Toad, Badger, and the field-mice. Grahame's stories foster a sense of warmth and security, and Moore's well-laced, rich-toned illustrations carry that feeling throughout the book. There are several double-page spreads that are breathtaking to view. These stories are wonderful read-alouds because of dialogue among the characters. This one's a keeper.?Susan Garland, Maynard Public Library, MA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (November 4, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763600598
• ISBN-13: 978-0763600594
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,217,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully detailed illustrations. Wonderful stories., August 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The River Bank: And Other Stories from The Wind in the Willows (Hardcover)

Kenneth Grahame's stories of the friendship of Mole and Rat are fascinating portraits of human character traits. When reading these stories to my children, I would ask them which character they most identified with, or of whom did each story character remind them. For instance, Mole is a gentle, kind, sentimental and curious soul, though a little self-conscious. When he ventures away from his home one day, he happens upon the river bank where he observes all of the happenings until he meets a river rat or Ratty as he calls him when they become friends. Ratty is very organized, punctual and accomplished at many practical tasks. He's conservative and predictable. Ratty and Moley become great friends, and Moley decides to stay on with Ratty by the river bank indefinitely, instead of going back home. The book contains several stories from the beginning of Ratty and Moley's friendship, until Moley misses his home and decides to try and find it again with the help of his friend. Along the way we meet Otter, Badger and the infamous Mr. Toad. I highly recommend this particular book because of the absolutely wonderful illustrations. The drawings of the inside of the dwellings are especially detailed, warm and inviting. Looking at them gave me a yearning to be there and stay for a long visit.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "There is nothing quite so worth doing...", May 31, 2001

By 

Keith A. Eddins (Prague, Czech Republic) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The River Bank: And Other Stories from The Wind in the Willows (Hardcover)

It's been a long time since I first read "Wind in the Willows," but rereading this version with my three-year-old has been a wonderful, rewarding experience. I'm not sure how much editing Inga Moore has done, but she has certainly retained the essence of the story while making it more easily accessible to the young reader (or, in our case, listener). And her illustrations are delightful; the images of Ratty, Mole, Otter, Mr. Toad and Badger with which my daughter will grow up are virtually perfect. Moreover, by dividing the story into two slimmer volumes she has made it easier for a parent to read it to a child. I can't say enough about this wonderful edition of "Wind in the Willows," but I encourage parents -- or grandparents or aunts or uncles or friends -- to buy it for the next generation of readers.