The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows
Cover of the first edition (with illustration by W. Graham Robertson)
AuthorKenneth Grahame
Original titleWillows whistle
IllustratorErnest H. Shepard (1931)
Arthur Rackham (1940)
Charles van Sandwyk (2007)
LanguageEnglish
GenreChildren's novel
PublisherMethuen
Publication date
8 October 1908
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
TextThe Wind in the Willows at Wikisource

The Wind in the Willows is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It tells the story of Mole, Ratty and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and gets into trouble. It also contains short stories about them that are disconnected from the main narrative. The novel was based on bedtime stories that Grahame told his son Alastair.

The Wind in the Willows received negative reviews upon its initial publication, but it has since become a classic of British literature. It was listed at No. 16 in the BBC's survey The Big Read and has been adapted multiple times in different media.