The Wind in the Willows

New Edition

Kenneth Grahame
Edited by Peter Hunt

Oxford World's Classics

The Wind in the Willows is one of the best-known classics of children's literature and yet it is primarily a book for adults. This new edition considers this conundrum and provides a wealth of fascinating contextual information about the book's author and its historical, cultural, and literary significance.
The Introduction by one of the foremost scholars of children's literature focuses on the book's status as a classic, and as both a self-portrait of Kenneth Grahame's psyche and the portrait of an age. It considers the book's general and specific influence on children's literature.
Explanatory Notes explore the sources of the book - biographical, psychological, geographical, and literary - and contain much new material.
Note on the Text recounts the history of the book from Grahame's letters to his son to final book publication.
Up-to-date bibliography.
Reproduces the text of the first British edition.
Introduction by Peter Hunt.
Up-to-date bibliography.
Note on the Text.
Explanatory Notes (previous edition had none).
Newly set text in a more attractive, larger typeface.

The Wind in the Willows

New Edition

Kenneth Grahame
Edited by Peter Hunt

Description

One of the best-known classics of children's literature, a timeless masterpiece and a vital portrait of an age, The Wind in the Willows began originally in Kenneth Grahame's letters to his young son, where he first recounted the adventures of Rat and Badger, of Mole and Toad--all narrated in virtuoso language ranging from lively parody to elaborate fin-de-siècle mysticism. Yet for a children's book, it is concerned almost exclusively with adult themes: fear of radical changes in political, social, and economic power. This new edition considers this conundrum and provides a wealth of fascinating contextual information about the book's author and its historical, cultural, and literary significance. The Introduction by Peter Hunt, one of the foremost scholars of children's literature, focuses on the book's status as a classic, and as both a self-portrait of Kenneth Grahame's psyche and a portrait of an age. Reproducing the text of the first British edition, the book includes explanatory notes that shed light on the sources of the book--biographical, psychological, geographical, and literary--and an up-to-date bibliography.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

The Wind in the Willows

New Edition

Kenneth Grahame
Edited by Peter Hunt

Oxford World's Classics

Author Information

Peter Hunt has written or edited around twenty books on the subject of children's literature, including Children's Litearature 1802-1902, An Anthology and Children's Literature, A Guide and An Introduction to Children's Literature (OUP, 1994). He is co-editor of The Norton Anthology of Children's Literature and has edited the new edition of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass for OWC.

The Wind in the Willows

New Edition

Kenneth Grahame
Edited by Peter Hunt

Oxford World's Classics

From Our Blog

Mole and Rat: A chancing friendship

National Friendship Day was originally founded by Hallmark as a promotional campaign to encourage people to send cards, but is now celebrated in countries across the world on the first Sunday in August. This post celebrates the friendship of two of our favorite characters from classic literature, Rat and Mole from The Wind in the Willows.

Posted on August 7, 2016

Read the blog post

The Wind in the Willows

New Edition

Kenneth Grahame
Edited by Peter Hunt

Oxford World's Classics

Audio Guide

In this Oxford World's Classics audio guide, Peter Hunt, Professor Emeritus in Children's Literature at the University of Cardiff, who was responsible for setting up the first course in children's literature in the UK, introduces the newcomer to reading critically texts written for children.

Click on the links below to hear Peter's thoughts on the field and then explore The Wind in the Willows in more detail.