Wind Between Willow Trees (Also Known As: Toad Legend)

Author: (English) K. Graham
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, though written for his son "Mole," was also a story for the author himself. This early 20th-century British gentleman crafted a tale filled with the comical legend of Toad and the life along the banks of the River Thames in England. The friendship between Mole, Water Rat, and Badger is so profound and rare that their appearances resemble British gentlemen in suits, with ties and umbrellas in hand. I particularly love this fairy tale because it is not only a fairy tale but also an extremely elegant piece of British prose. The descriptions of the four seasons along the riverbank and the lives of the little animals living there are both incredibly delicate and literary. Such writing style is rarely seen in children's literature today. Children's literature from the mid-to-late 20th century may be more playful and engaging, filled with laughter that keeps children reading non-stop, but it lacks a touch of wind—a touch of warmth, elegance, and nature. This wind has forever vanished with the passage of life. The pace of civilization has accelerated, lifestyles have changed, and the distance between humans and nature has grown even farther.