The Best of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

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.

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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.

Child Characters from Dickens Retold by Lucy L. Weedon - Illustrated by Arthur A. Dixon

This Christmas gift book published by Ernest Nister in 1905 collects Charles Dickens' best stories adapted by Lucy L. Weedon for the young reader. It's a small but thick book with 320 pages with all gilt edges. The cloth bound cover came in several colours including blue, green, brown and grey. There are six colour and seventy half-tone illustrations by Arthur A. Dixon beautifully printed on heavy weight stock. The coloured plates are vibrant and detailed with little signs of fading. A very attractive book for the collector.