Notable illustrators include Paul Bransom (1913), Arthur Rackham (1940), Tasha Tudor (1966), Michael Hague (1980), Harry Hargreaves (1983), Scott McKowen (2005), and Robert Ingpen (2007).

The book was originally published as plain text, but many illustrated, comic and annotated versions have been published over the years. Milne, who loved it, adapted a part of it for stage as Toad of Toad Hall in 1929. The Wind in the Willows was in its thirty-first printing when then-famous playwright, A. Pictured right: Graham Robertson frontispiece illustration from the first edition Wind in the Willows, 1908 featuring Ratty and Mole. He moved back to Cookham, Berkshire, where he had been brought up and spent his time by the River Thames doing much as the animal characters in his book do-namely, as one of the most famous phrases from the book says, “simply messing about in boats”-and wrote down the bed-time stories he had been telling his son Alistair. In 1908 Grahame retired from his position as secretary of the Bank of England. Sold for £33,000 at Bloomsbury Auctions on 24th November 2010.

The book and letters offer a fascinating insight into Kenneth Grahame’s family life. Sidney Ward and 1 to her daughter Ruth, and 3 Christmas Postcards, 1 on behalf of her son. Pictured right and left: Grahame (Kenneth) The Wind in the Willows, first edition, signed presentation copy from the author to Ruth Ward with his ink inscription on half-title, frontispiece by Graham Robertson, end papers foxed and browned, original gilt pictorial cloth, very small stain at head of upper cover, edges and corners a little rubbed and frayed, lower corners bumped, spine sunned, edges uncut, 8vo, 1908 Grahame (Elspeth, wife of Kenneth Grahame, 1862-1946) 3 Autograph Letters signed, 2 to Mrs. The novel is notable for its mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie and celebrated for its evocation of the nature of the Thames valley. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters in a pastoral version of England.

The Wind in the Willows is a classic of children’s literature by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908.

Wind in the willows illustrated book