Amazon.com Review
Inspired by correspondence from
Wind in the Willow's author Kenneth Grahame to his young son, award-winning illustrator Michael Foreman took up paint and brush to follow Mole, Ratty, Mr. Badger, and Toad through another edition of this well-loved kids classic.
Grahame's time-honored story, an adventure-filled idyll that meanders across a lovingly described English countryside, cemented its status as a masterpiece generations ago. But this newest edition adds some noteworthy extras: the unabridged text includes two chapters that don't appear in some modern versions ("The Pipers at the Gates of Dawn" and "Wayfarers All"), and the book closes with reproductions of two of Grahame's actual letters to his son Alistair ("My darling Mouse") in 1907, written on ornate, old-timey stationery from two Cornwall hotels and recounting one of Toad's first adventures (which Toad fans will recognize as the train-assisted escape of a certain "washerwoman").
These inclusions alone might merit a new edition, but Foreman's illustrations stand shoulder to shoulder with those of previous Winds artists (among them Ernest Shepard, the original illustrator, and Arthur Rackham, both of whom Foreman modestly stands "in awe" of). The lively, full-color illustrations appear generously throughout the book, as they convincingly capture both the story's small moments (like the washerwoman's weeping, for one) and more explosive events (like the storming of Toad Hall). (All ages) --Paul Hughes
From School Library Journal
Grade 3 Up-Here, Grahame's text is profusely illustrated with small decorative drawings and watercolors, as well as panoramic spreads and bordered full-page pictures. The watercolors are often dominated by blues and greens, creating a sense of the river and countryside. Overall, Foreman's visual treatment is lighthearted, whimsical, and spirited. Some pictures are quite comical, such as a sobbing Mr. Toad after he receives a much-deserved tongue-lashing from Badger and Mr. Toad crooning his "last little song" to a set of empty chairs. Others are full of energy, movement, and drama such as scenes of the attack on Toad Hall. The endpapers are designed as maps of the countryside. Information about the author and his most famous work is included, as are reprints of the four letters sent to the author's son, which began the tales, and photographs of father and son. The combination of this timeless story and Foreman's dynamic pictures is sure to be a hit. Both this version and the one illustrated by Mary Jane Begin (North-South, 2002) are attractive and appealing, but libraries that can only afford one should consider Foreman's offering.
Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WICopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
