Kenneth Grahame (1859–1932)
Author of The Wind in the Willows
About the Author
Kenneth Grahame was born in Edinburgh on March 3, 1859. When he was five years old, his mother died of scarlet fever and he nearly died himself, of the same disease. His father became an alcoholic and sent the children to Berkshire to live with relatives. They were later reunited with their father, show more but after a failed year, the children never heard from him again. Sometime later, one of his brothers died at the age of fifteen. He attended St. Edward's School as a child and intended to go on to Oxford University, but his relatives wanted him to go into banking. He worked in his uncle's office, in Westminster, for two years then went to work at the Bank of England as a clerk in 1879. He spent nearly thirty years there and became the Secretary of the Bank at the age of thirty-nine. He retired from the bank right before The Wind in the Willows was published in 1908. He wrote essays on topics that included smoking, walking and idleness. Many of the essays were published as the book Pagan Papers (1893) and the five orphan characters featured in the papers were developed into the books The Golden Age (1895) and Dream Days (1898). The Wind in the Willows (1908) was based on bedtime stories and letters to his son and it is where the characters Rat, Badger, Mole and Toad were created. In 1930, Milne's stage version was brought to another audience in Toad of Toad Hall. Grahame died on July 6, 1932. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows (Illustrated): The 1913 Classic Edition with Original Illustrations (2023) 79 copies, 1 review
The Wind in the Willows [sound recording ∙ abridged] — Author — 46 copies
The Wind in the Willows (Illustrated): The Classic Edition with Original Illustrations (2025) 42 copies
Mole's Christmas Welcome: From "The Wind in the Willows" (The Madison Mini Book Series) (Amoco) (1989) 34 copies, 1 review
The Wind in the Willows {video} 28 copies
The Wind in the Willows (Longman ELT Classics Readers: Level 2: 600 Headwords: Elementary Level) (1987) 16 copies
The Wind in the Willows Treasury 10 copies
The Wind in the Willows (Classics Made Easy): Unabridged, with Comprehensive Glossary, Biographical Article, and Historical Context (2021) 8 copies
The Adventure Collection: Treasure Island • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer • The Wind in the Willows (2008) 8 copies
Project X Origins Graphic Texts: Grey Book Band, Oxford Level 14: The Wind in the Willows (2016) 6 copies
The Wind in the Willows (Illustrated): The Classic Edition with Original Illustrations (2025) 6 copies
Wind in the Willows Board Book Collection: River Bank / Wild Wood / Open Road / Toad's Adventure (1997) 5 copies
The Wind in the Willows (Abridged) 4 copies
Sneaky Toad (Wind in the Willows) 4 copies
The Wind in the Willows 4 copies
Wind in the Willows [1988 TV movie] — Original book — 4 copies
Die schönsten Klassiker zum Vorlesen: Der Wind in den Weiden - Das Dschungelbuch - Peterchens Mondfahrt (2011) 3 copies
The Wind in the Willows: Abridged Edition for Younger Readers (Palazzo Abridged Classics) (2018) 3 copies
Wind in the Willows (cartoon) 3 copies
The wind in the willows [VHS] 2 copies
The Fellow That Goes Alone 2 copies
The Kenneth Grahame Omnibus: The Wind in the Willows, The Golden Age and Dream Days (including "The Reluctant Dragon") [Illustrated] (2015) 2 copies
Of smoking: From the book Pagan papers — Author — 2 copies
The Wind in the Willows (Elementary) 2 copies
Fun O' The Fair 2 copies
The Kennetyh Grahame Book Includes The Golden Age, Dream Days and The Wind in the Willows (1951) 1 copy
GIÓ ĐÙA TRONG LIỄU 1 copy
The wind in the willows 1 copy
Find A Way Back 1 copy
The Reluctant Dragon And Other Stories Or Dream Days: 115th Anniversary Edition (Illustrated) 1 copy
Vîntul prin sălcii 1 copy
Wind in the Willow — Author — 1 copy
The Wind in the Willows (Illustrated): Classic 1913 Edition with Original Illustrations (2024) 1 copy
The Classic Collection of Kenneth Grahame: The Wind in the Willows, The Reluctant Dragon, The Golden Age, Dream Days (2023) 1 copy
By the River Bank 1 copy
Mr Toad in Trouble 1 copy
A Wind in the Willows / A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court / Black Beauty (3-Volume Set) (1984) 1 copy
Wind in the Willows 1 copy
Non Libri Sed Liberi 1 copy
Panique à la crapaudiere 1 copy
Die Wind in die Wilgers 1 copy
Kenneth Grahame: Collection (The Golden Age, Dream Days, The Reluctant Dragon, The Wind in the Willows) (2018) 1 copy
Dragon Tales 1 copy
The Wind in the Willows-Treasury of Illustrated Classics Storybook Collection by Kenneth Grahame (2013-01-21) (1828) 1 copy
A Viagem do Senhor Sapo 1 copy
The Wind in the Willows - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham by Grahame, Kenneth (2014) Hardcover (1800) 1 copy
Wind in the Willows 1 copy
Det susar i säven 1 copy
Associated Works
The Illustrated Treasury of Children's Literature, Volumes 1-2 (1955) — Contributor — 524 copies, 4 reviews
The Wind in the Willows [abridged - Classic Starts] (2007) — original story author — 301 copies, 3 reviews
The Game Is Afoot: Parodies, Pastiches, and Ponderings of Sherlock Holmes (1994) — Contributor — 216 copies, 2 reviews
Pages Passed from Hand to Hand: The Hidden Tradition of Homosexual Literature in English from 1748 to 1914 (1997) — Contributor — 185 copies, 1 review
The Children's Treasury: Best Loved Stories and Poems from Around the World (1987) — Contributor — 163 copies, 2 reviews
Isaac Asimov's Magical Worlds of Fantasy, Volume 3: Cosmic Knights (1954) — Contributor — 146 copies, 3 reviews
The Adventures of Mr. Toad (Disney's Wonderful World of Reading) (1981) — Original story — 136 copies, 2 reviews
Tales Before Narnia: The Roots of Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction (2008) — Contributor — 126 copies, 3 reviews
The Wind in the Willows #2: The Open Road (Easy Reader Classics) (1988) — original storyteller — 121 copies
The Graphic Canon of Children's Literature: The World's Greatest Kids' Lit as Comics and Visuals (2014) — Contributor — 101 copies, 1 review
The Wind in the Willows #1: The Riverbank (Easy Reader Classics) (No. 1) (2006) — original storyteller — 76 copies
The Wind in the Willows [abridged - Chick-Fil-A Classic Stories and Essential Values] (2006) — original storyteller — 61 copies
The Wind in the Willows #3: The Wild Wood (Easy Reader Classics) (No. 3) (2004) — original storyteller — 60 copies, 1 review
The Wind in the Willows #4: Home Sweet Home (Easy Reader Classics) (No. 4) (1995) — original storyteller — 60 copies
A Season of Joy: Favorite Stories and Poems for Christmas (1987) — Contributor — 56 copies, 1 review
More Adventures With Mr. Toad (Kenneth Grahame's the Wind in the Willows) (1982) — original story author — 44 copies
The Wind in the Willows [2006 film] — Original book — 33 copies
The Open Road (Wind in the Willows, Book 1) (1987) — original storyteller; original storyteller — 31 copies
Kingfisher Christmas Book: A Collection of Stories, Poems and Carols for the Twelve Days of Christmas (1985) — Contributor — 29 copies
The Wind in the Willows #6: Restless Rat (Easy Reader Classics) (2010) — original storyteller — 24 copies
The Wind in the Willows: The wild wood (adapted ∙ boardbook) (1990) — original story author — 20 copies, 1 review
The Wind in the Willows #5: Sneaky Toad (Easy Reader Classics) (2010) — original storyteller — 18 copies
Little Treasury of the Wind in the Willows (Little treasuries) (1995) — original source author — 15 copies
The Wind in the Willows / The Willows in Winter [1995/96 animated film] (2001) — Original book — 14 copies
The Wind in the Willows [2006 film] — Original book — 11 copies
Little Otter is Missing (Wind in the Willows Library) (1995) — original storyteller — 10 copies, 1 review
The Wind in the Willows Library: (Slip Case Set of 4 Titles) (1867) — original storyteller — 10 copies
Return to Toad Hall (Tales from the "Wind in the Willows") (1995) — original story author — 4 copies
Shirley Temple Storybook Collection: The Land of Oz / The Reluctant Dragon (2008) — Original story — 2 copies
The Reluctant Dragon [1941 short film] — Original story — 2 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Grahame, Kenneth
- Birthdate
- 1859-03-08
- Date of death
- 1932-07-06
- Gender
- male
- Education
- St. Edward's School, Oxford, England
- Occupations
- banker
secretary (Bank of England)
essayist
short story writer - Organizations
- London Scottish Regiment
Bank of England - Relationships
- Hope, Anthony (cousin)
Robertson, W. Graham (house share) - Short biography
- Married to Elspeth Grahame, with one son, Alistair Graham.British author and banker. Educated at St. Edward’s School, Oxford. He was orphaned at an early age and brought up by his grandmother. His family unable to afford the cost of university he took up a career with the Bank of England where he stayed until ill health caused his retirement, in his late forties, in 1907. During the banking days he wrote (and had published) essays and poems in his spare time. Among his books were Pagan Papers (1893), The Golden Age (1895), Dream Days (1898) and then… The Wind in the Willows (1908) which started life as a bedtime serial tale for his son Alastair.
- Cause of death
- cerebral hemorrhage
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Places of residence
- Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Pangbourne, Berkshire, England, UK
Blewbury, England, UK - Place of death
- Pangbourne, Berkshire, England, UK
- Burial location
- Holywell Cemetery, St Cross Church, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
- Map Location
- Scotland, UK
Members
Discussions
the illustrators of The Wind in the Willows - part 2 in Tattered but still lovely (May 28)
Signed Wind in the Willows SE - 200 copies in Folio Society Devotees (March 2024)
Hand & Eye The Wind in the Willows in Fine Press Forum (December 2022)
OT - The Wind in the Willows - illustrated by Chris Dunn, Kickstarter in Folio Society Devotees (November 2022)
Mad Parrot Press Wind in the Willows in Fine Press Forum (September 2022)
Chas. Van Sandwyk's Wind in the Willows in Fine Press Forum (October 2021)
the illustrators of The Wind in the Willows in Tattered but still lovely (January 2016)
The Wind in the Willows in British & Irish Children's Fiction (October 2009)
Reviews
In the English language, there is no book more charming. There are wittier books, more audacious ones, and more incisive, but I know none more charming. The charm lies partly in the language—the fine, flowing prose that breaks sometimes into rhyme—and partly in the characters, the unbeatable Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Through adventure and misadventure, songs and tears, Grahame’s prose and his spirited characters together compose an idyll fringed with darkness. Indeed, charming show more doesn’t mean innocent. But that part of The Wind in the Willows I encourage you to discover for yourself. show less
Surprisingly, I didn't love this quite so much as I was expecting. I thought for sure it would be 5 stars. Still, it was good vibes for the most part.
- Toad is an a-hole. I feel we're kind of supposed to be like "Oh, what a silly rascal!" and get behind his turning over of a new leaf, but I didn't buy it, and he didn't deserve to have Ratty, Moly, or Badger in his corner. Toad in the bin!
- Badger and Mole are sweetie-pie angels. When we were talking about it, I said "I wish I were a Badger, show more but I think more of a Mole" and my partner felt that was accurate. Which is not a self-deprecation; I love Moly, I'll take it!
- You cannot tell me that Rat and Mole weren't a couple. Look, I'm all for normalizing affectionate, deep, platonic relationships — soft masculinity heck yah; toxic masculinity in the bin — but this is giving Bert and Ernie before Bert and Ernie were a thing, and I said what I said. show less
- Toad is an a-hole. I feel we're kind of supposed to be like "Oh, what a silly rascal!" and get behind his turning over of a new leaf, but I didn't buy it, and he didn't deserve to have Ratty, Moly, or Badger in his corner. Toad in the bin!
- Badger and Mole are sweetie-pie angels. When we were talking about it, I said "I wish I were a Badger, show more but I think more of a Mole" and my partner felt that was accurate. Which is not a self-deprecation; I love Moly, I'll take it!
- You cannot tell me that Rat and Mole weren't a couple. Look, I'm all for normalizing affectionate, deep, platonic relationships — soft masculinity heck yah; toxic masculinity in the bin — but this is giving Bert and Ernie before Bert and Ernie were a thing, and I said what I said. show less
I apologize to the majority of my GR friends who absolutely adored this book, but I’m on the side of the weasels and ferrets and evil little stoats.
If a kid grew up influenced purely by the characters and morals in this book, they would become a terrible, arrogant, selfish, pompously annoying person (and possibly commit crimes, fully anticipating no consequences). I would not want my child to read this until they were much older, but I would tell them not to bother.
It was amusing looking show more at StoryGraph reviews and seeing the content warnings tagged for this children’s book: gun violence, racism, racial slurs, classism, sexism, misogyny, fatphobia… I know it’s a product of it’s time, but this is not exactly great.
I don’t know how this became a beloved children’s classic because it sets a horrible example for children. It is whimsical and charming and written nicely, but that’s about it.
This doesn’t affect my review as 1) it was already negative and 2) again, I know the book was a product of its time, and oh how I wish I could remember exactly what it was, but there was a comment so blatantly and utterly sexist that I visibly gaped (and then laughed). The rest of the book is rife with inherent sexism but it’s at least under-handed and normalized, am I right ladies?! Yet another terrible example for impressionable young children.
Also, I’m trying not to question the implications of these characters using and eating animal products, and how there’s humans but also tiny toads driving cars, and a million other worldbuilding inconsistencies.
(Do they drive on the same road? Do the animals get their own roads? Do toads drive human-sized cars, somehow?! Literally actually HOW was a toad able to pass for a human woman? Where does the meat the animals eat come from? Do they know? Is a big secret being kept from them by the humans? Or are cows seen as an inferior species and put in death camps? Is this secretly a horror novel?)
I don’t expect kids to care too much about that, but it’s another reason I’m surprised by the status this book has as a rewarded classic. It’s adorable, sure, but it’s messy and random and nothing makes sense. Which I could look past in a cute kid’s book if I wasn’t being PROVOKED every other minute by the constant whining and bursting into tears and never learning any lesson, ever.
If a good editor looked over it today, there would be much reckoning. show less
If a kid grew up influenced purely by the characters and morals in this book, they would become a terrible, arrogant, selfish, pompously annoying person (and possibly commit crimes, fully anticipating no consequences). I would not want my child to read this until they were much older, but I would tell them not to bother.
It was amusing looking show more at StoryGraph reviews and seeing the content warnings tagged for this children’s book: gun violence, racism, racial slurs, classism, sexism, misogyny, fatphobia… I know it’s a product of it’s time, but this is not exactly great.
I don’t know how this became a beloved children’s classic because it sets a horrible example for children. It is whimsical and charming and written nicely, but that’s about it.
This doesn’t affect my review as 1) it was already negative and 2) again, I know the book was a product of its time, and oh how I wish I could remember exactly what it was, but there was a comment so blatantly and utterly sexist that I visibly gaped (and then laughed). The rest of the book is rife with inherent sexism but it’s at least under-handed and normalized, am I right ladies?! Yet another terrible example for impressionable young children.
Also, I’m trying not to question the implications of these characters using and eating animal products, and how there’s humans but also tiny toads driving cars, and a million other worldbuilding inconsistencies.
(Do they drive on the same road? Do the animals get their own roads? Do toads drive human-sized cars, somehow?! Literally actually HOW was a toad able to pass for a human woman? Where does the meat the animals eat come from? Do they know? Is a big secret being kept from them by the humans? Or are cows seen as an inferior species and put in death camps? Is this secretly a horror novel?)
I don’t expect kids to care too much about that, but it’s another reason I’m surprised by the status this book has as a rewarded classic. It’s adorable, sure, but it’s messy and random and nothing makes sense. Which I could look past in a cute kid’s book if I wasn’t being PROVOKED every other minute by the constant whining and bursting into tears and never learning any lesson, ever.
If a good editor looked over it today, there would be much reckoning. show less
Proust for Kids This is not a book for children, nor for adults, nor for those caught in between. It is not a book for anyone. I will not recommend it, or share it, or ask my wife to read it. It is a book only for me, as all books are, and no one else in the world will ever curl up in a rainbow hammock under variable skies and follow the languid walks over emotional landscapes, alien and yet natural, and see through the eyes of those who are not people, are not animals, either, nor anything show more in between. I have just read the chapter in which Rat, the steadfast, loyal, mildly gruff yet dependable and neighborly, the erstwhile partner of the innocent Mole, observes the goings on of the migratory animals in early autumn and first rejects, then finds himself envious of, then is bewitched by and then released from, the notion of wandering to new unknown lands and leaving behind his structure and his self. In a bit of reversal, he is "rescued" from having the far off eyes of a very different rat by his partner Mole, who perhaps learned the trick of it and the sometimes necessity from the earlier failed attempts to heal toad of his inherent toadness. At the end, Mole provides paper and pencil and suggests to an uncertain Rat that he hasn't written poetry in a while, and perhaps he might scribble a bit, at least to get down the rhymes. And rat does. He is not Robert Frost, our rat. He's not a literary artist. But he is himself, and his poetic spirit is with him always, and applies itself at just the right moment in just the right way, when fumbling with the natural world after an encounter with the divine, for example. His poems will never quite be complete, but there is something there that answers who he is and who he longs to be, and it is enough. My word, what an odd, odd book. "Rich" is the obvious description... Ludicrously rich. Very little happens, everything happens, and we get swept up in it until we realize we are reading a book about everything, and everything that ever was anywhere or ever will be. It's Proust for children. Nostalgia is my least favorite flavor, so I have no reason to love this book, but I do. We are rat, and mole, and sometimes toad, and we might unwisely aspire to be badger, who is clean out of fucks long before the phrase was invented, and we shall ever wander and skip through our lives like the twittering sparrows. show less
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Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 317
- Also by
- 90
- Members
- 36,682
- Popularity
- #499
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 492
- ISBNs
- 1,730
- Languages
- 32
- Favorited
- 34
