My husband's well-loved copy of Wind in the Willows is now on our bookshelf. It's his favorite book and a major part of his childhood. I'm reading and reviewing it. Let's dive in.
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| Courtesy of bibliodyssey.blogspot.co.uk |
If you read this book, you know it is very much like frog and toad, but not frog and toad. You have talking human-like animals in a small community. They chat, row down the river, have picnics, and are generally silly creatures (in the best way). My husband loved this book so much the spine is falling apart (but not the pages). We started reading it together. I'm reading it twice because I need to finish it to review it.
The Plot
We begin with Mole abandoning his spring cleaning, running into a Rat, and then going on a picnic/boat ride. We run into Otter, who asks why he wasn't invited, but Rat says it is a private picnic. Otter makes polite conversation and leaves. Mole has so much fun that he attempts to take the oars and dumps the boat. They both get back to warmth and spend the evening in Rat's home. Mole had to wait for his clothing to dry beside the fire and spends the night. In the coming weeks, Rat teaches Mole to row the boat and they spend time on the river together.
Mole eventually asks to see Mr. Toad. We also learn Rat likes to mess with the ducks. He makes a silly little song about them and the ducks don't like it, nor does Mole. Mr. Toad turns out to be rich and is excited to see Rat. He wanted to talk to him about something rather important. He wants to travel in his new gypsy caravan. Rat only goes because Mole wants to and Toad insists he come. During their travels, Toad tries not to do any work while the other two make him do some work. The caravan got hit by a car and they returned to Toad Hall (Toad's home) via train. Toad was now tired of caravans and got his new toy, a motor car.
Rat and Mole proceed to hang out more, Mole now asking to meet Badger, who doesn't like being with people. Rat doesn't want to call on him because he lives in the Wild Wood. Mole decides to go by himself. He gets lost in the dark and Rat (packing pistols, no less) goes to get him. They spend the night in a hollow tree and stumble (Mole injured) onto Badger's doorstep. They are invited in after Badger realizes who they are. He lets them in to warm (it's winter) themselves by the fire and asks about riverbank news. Toad has run his car off the road and wants another one. He'd crashed seven cars in total. Badger sends the pair to his guest room and they wake up to more guests. Two hedgehogs got lost on their way to school and Badger let them in for breakfast. Otter comes by to find Rat and Mole, then takes them home.
On the way back, Mole suddenly smells his own home (which he hasn't been in for a bit) and gets homesick. Rat helps him find his way home and they get to Mole End. After a bit of cleaning up, they find some food. At the door, just like every year, caroling field mice showed up to sing. They all came in after their song, ate, and did a little play about pirates. They left, Christmas morning came, and Summer came around.
In Summer, Badger came to Rat's home to say that Toad needed an intervention. Badger, Rat, and Mole march over to Toad Hall to confront him before he goes driving in his newest motor car. He promises Badger he'll stop, then takes it all back in mere minutes. They made him a prisoner in his own home, he got out, and then stole a car before he could control himself. He went to prison. The daughter of the jailer wanted to feed him by hand. She was allowed and brought food to him. She got his spirits back up to the point he was no longer sobbing into his straw. Eventually, she helped him escape. Many chapters later, he's still trying to get home dressed as a washerwoman. He got picked up and given a ride, only for him to ask to drive and then crash the car. He avoids his captors, ending up in a river and washed right into Rat.
Rat is put out with Toad and demands he wash up. They have a stern conversation over a meal, where Toad promises to be good. Then Rat tells him the stoats, weasels, and ferrets (wild wooders) took over Toad Hall. He stormed it, got run off by an armed ferret, and came back to Rat. He boated to the edge of the garden to try again. He ended up ruining Rat's boat in the process. He crawled back to Rat and Rat told him to cool his jets and eat dinner. Badger and Mole came over to plan. Badger reveals he knew of a passage, where they could attack without the guards being alerted. Rat gets weapons (swords and guns and sticks and handcuffs), Mole messes with the enemy in the washerwoman outfit, and they get on with the plan. They take the hall back successfully.
The conclusion of the story is that Toad is no longer a boastful, foolish Toad, but a wise one. Rat, Mole, and Badger helped him get his home back. They also set him straight and made him see sense. He was a better Toad for listening to them.
Overall Thoughts
It's a silly, funny tale you can read to any child or any adult. It's a little bit like Alice In Wonderland in tone, but without the nonsense poetry. It's four animal friends going on adventures and helping each other through life. They just happen to be talking animals. It's adorable. I could read this ten times over and laugh every time. It's all so silly. I like it. 5 stars, an easy 5 stars.
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I wrote a book! I am delighted to say that I have 5 five-star reviews up on Amazon now, which is amazing. I hope you like it, too. If you're interested in buying a paperback, hardcover, or ebook version go to my website link in this blog or click here to go straight to my Amazon page.
Jack Thomas is running from a past case. He's hiding in Wrenville. Is his past case catching up with him?
Find out in my first book, Wrenville, a stand-alone suspense novel.
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