Kenneth Grahame was born on March 8, 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Along with his siblings, Grahame was raised by their maternal grandmother in Berkshire, United Kingdom. The scenic countryside, the River Thames, and the sprawling woodlands might have inspired him to write Willows Whistle, better known as The Wind in the Willows. What began as a series of bedtime stories he wrote for his young son, is now a classic children's novel. First published by Methuen Publishing Ltd. in 1908, it continues to be retold and reimagined.
The first edition was not illustrated but many subsequent versions are. Readers have enjoyed this story for well over a century with artists creating their own vision of Toad, Ratty, Badger, and Mole. Because we can never have enough of a good thing, every few years a new copy of The Wind in the Willows comes out with new illustrations. Some of the art is fantastic and some are just okay. Will the new illustrations be enough to urge you to yet again purchase a copy of a book you have already read multiple times? Let's look at four illustrated versions of this classic that should not be passed over at the store and is worthy of a spot on your shelf. Some of these are out of print but can be found easily online or possibly at a second hand bookstore.
Published by Ariel Books, Henry Holt and Company Inc. in 1980 with illustrations by Michael Hague. An unabridged copy with dust jacket. The end pages show a map of Toad Hall and the surrounding countryside. There are 25 full page illustrations, some double spread and 40 vignettes, all in full colour. The watercolours have deep rich tones. The cover image shows the four friends on a picnic with a yellow orange background. This colour scheme is carried through to the back cover however, the design doesn't quite work out well on the back. There is an obvious orange box that looks out of place. A small flaw to an overall lovely book. The text is also a good reading size when it's bedtime reading and you need to put a child to sleep but not yourself.
The smallest of the bunch is published by The Templar Company Limited. Illustrated by Helen Ward, this version was published three times in, 2000, 2008, and 2010. A dust jacket is included with a duplicate image of the cover inside. There are two different covers but the water colour illustrations inside are the same. This unabridged copy has 20 full page illustrations and three vignettes. The animals are anthropomorphic but these seem to be the most visually realistic.
An abridged version published by Walker Books, Candlewick Press, 2000 with illustrations by Inga Moore. This edition collects the chapters that were previously published separately. A shortened version with three chapters left out and some altered text. The pastel and ink illustrations are plentiful here with few text only pages. There's a whopping 60 full page illustrations and 80 vignettes; all in full colour. This is the most inviting as an introduction to a classic. The illustrations are bright, the characters seem happy and carefree. The layout of the book is nicely done, with text and art in harmony.
Lastly, we have IDW Publishing's 2016 version illustrated by David Petersen. Being the newest of the four, it does seem more modern with its digitally enhanced art. This book has no dust jacket but the cover art is beautiful with a matte finish and glossy text. There are also patterned end papers with the main characters displayed. There are 20 full page illustrations in full colour and 50 in monotone. Although it contains the same amount of text as the other unabridged versions, it seems more text heavy because the font is a bit smaller. Each chapter title page is embellished with a vignette of a wild plant relevant to the story. The art has earthy tones and muted colours and is very similar to his work on Mouse Guard but is less busy.
Kenneth Grahame died in Pangbourne, Berkshire on July 6, 1932. His legacy lives on every time an artist recreates the world in the willows. The spark is reignited and his story continues, captivating a new generation of fans.
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