The Wind in the Willows

Mole is spring-cleaning when he suddenly throws down his brush and goes out into the sunshine, where he meets Water Rat, who introduces him to life on the river and the joy of 'messing about in boats'. Through the seasons they visit the wise, gruff Badger in the Wild Wood and their rich, boastful friend Toad, whose passion for motor cars lands him in prison, while weasels take over Toad Hall.

Kenneth Grahame (1859–1932) worked at the Bank of England, rising to become its secretary, and the book grew from bedtime stories for his son. Published in 1908, it mixes comic adventure with passages of almost mystical beauty about nature and friendship. It is a classic to read aloud, and adults often love it even more than children.