"The Wind in The Willows" is legendary in itself. Michel Plessix illustration makes this version (very true to the original) a must for everyone's library, adult & children alike.

The book, Little Women, written by Louisa May Alcott, is the most captivating book I have ever read. I watched, and fell in love with the movie, but I never realized how much more I would get out of it, by reading the book. The famous saying, "Money can't buy you happiness", really shows through in this book. Living in the 1800's, during the Civil War, and very little money, the March family shows what little things can make you happy.
At the beginning of the book, the four daughters are introduced, but as you continue reading, you become apart of their lives. Alcott really has a way of bringing out each character, and making them so strong and powerful. Meg, who is very mature and grown up, thinks about getting married and taking care of children. Jo, is the tomboy and doesn't seem to take anything seriously. Beth is the most selfless, and is always willing to do anything to help others. Young Amy tries so hard to be perfect and loved by society, but is spoilt and selfish. The March family is faced with many trials and tribulations, and fight so hard to overcome them, especially the death of a loved one. Through everything that they go through, they stay positive, and continue to follow their dreams.
Reading this book, helped me to find the importance of family. No matter what happened to this family, they were always able to turn to each other for love and support. This is how I want to be able to live my life. Not to be poor, but to have such a strong bond within my family.
I have read this book once, and I plan on reading it many times over, and hopefully passing it on to my daughter when she is old enough to read and understand it. I recommend this book to any women, whether they are young or old. I hope that whoever does choose this book, apreciates it as much as I did, and always will.

Little Women is a charming story that transports back in time and tells the story of the March family. It follows the trials and triumps of the close-knit family living in the Civil War era. The four March sisters manage, although fequently challenged, to remain close throughout time. From the very first chapter the unique character traits arise Ð pretty, proper, and mature Meg, tomboy Jo who loves to read and write, shy and caring Beth who loves music and animals, and vain Amy with an artistic talent. They are as different as sisters can be, but their strong personalities bring them closer together. The family is held together by the loving parents who are devoted and fair. The parents work to mold their daughters into responsible young women by teaching them morality and love. It is very much a coming of age story, each girl striving to become a good woman, and tying to let go of their past. Even though it was written over a hundred years ago, modern readers can still relate to the story. The girls still fight, they serch for love, they deal with loss, they struugle with poverty and fitting in. The story teaches great morals that are as important now as they were when the book was written. The book teaches the value of family, the importance of self-improvement, and the truth that love can withstand all. It is a plot that will involve the reader, a book that you will not be able to put down. By the end of the novel you will feel like you know the Marchs personally and will want to read it all over again. This story has passed the test of time and is a beloved peice of literature that brings people together. It is a tale that has touched countless generations, and will continue to do so for many more.

When people ask me how I became such an avid reader, my answer is because I read Little Women in High School. This timeless classic of four sister growing up during the Civil War is my all time favorite book and I do not even know how many times I have read it. I treasure my copy of this book and it is one I could never part with.

Little Women is a coming of age story about four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, and it always amazed me how Marmee would sit back and let them learn life's lessons and always find the right words to say to each of them afterward. Family values and morals as well are hard lessons to teach but through love and understanding they all learn.

Jo is my favorite character, she is so vibrant and full of life and the character based on Louisa May Alcott herself. My favorite movie version of this movie is the 1933 version with Katherine Hepburn as Jo, she truly captured Jo's spirit.

This story has been read by many generations and I'm sure that there will be many more generations enjoying the story of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy for many many years to come.

When I was very young (about six thousand years ago), our school master used to read to us from Wind in the Willows. The stories had a magical quality and a few weeks ago, as a somewhat older person, I got to wondering whether they would still have that sense of enchantment that held us so captivated all those years ago.

I was NOT disappointed. Toad was just as cantankerous and difficult as ever. Badger, Rat and Mole were just as supportive - just as memorable. Badger is unpredictable but protective (and sometimes mean). Mole is timid and shy. Rat is courageous and romantic. And who could ever forget those dreadful gun-toting weasels, ferrets and stoats glorying in their take-over of Toad Hall? Wind in the Willows is a true masterpiece of allegory with endless moral lessons disguised as a children's story. It is also a lesson in things long-forgotten... the glory of floating noiselessly down a river at dawn, past loosestrife, willowherb, bulrushes and meadowsweet. How many of us have even heard of these meadow plants, never mind seen them. But it doesn't matter, because it evokes nostalgia either for things long-forgotten or for things never-known.

At a child's level, Wind in the Willows is about friendship and about life in an imagined world centered around the river. At a less innocent level, Wind in the Willows draws many parallels with life, though Kenneth Grahame managed to avoid preaching his lessons. Not the least of Graham's parables is that 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall' because Toad is as egotistical and as self-important as they come until being thrown in jail for 'borrowing' a car. After that, it's all downhill for Toad, and it is only thanks to the loyalty of his friends that he regains some of his position in society - though not before learning a little humility first.

Though, at an older age, we pretend to be more sophisticated, at heart we always hold out the hope of a return to innocence and simple adventures. We are still (most of us) perfectly capable of identifying with the animals and the idea, as one reviewer put it, of two school-aged hedgehogs frying ham for a mole and a water rat, in a badger's kitchen does my imagination no harm whatsoever! As for Grahame's choice of phrase (...the "remotest dungeon of the best-guarded keep of the stoutest castle in all the length and breadth of Merry England"...) it's almost as poetically attention-grabbing as Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder series.

If you're looking for laser guns and hi-tech wars, W-i-t-W is NOT the book to buy. If you're after something a little more gentle (and a little more intelligent) Wind in the Willows is an outstanding example of a Classic that continues to withstand the test of time.

Kenneth Grahame wrote this for his son and published this in book form in 1908. He has simply created a masterpiece, not just in children's literature, believe me many adults read this one with pleasure. The chapters follow the doings and adventures of Mole, Rat, Badger, and of course Toad. The prose is lyrical at times, the stories hilarious, and charm and wisdom flow from Grahame's pen. There has been many illustrators for different editions of this over the years. I like Rackham and Shepard and recommend the editions that have one or the others illustrations, or get two copies of "The Wind in the Willows" and you can have both of these fine illustrators work to enjoy. I read this book when a child and I come back to it again and again.

Somehow, I missed The Wind in the Willows when I was growing up. I knew the basic story from the movie and from an extremely abridged version, but I had never experienced Kenneth Grahame's actual novel. I didn't expect it to be very much different, but I was amazed by the reading experience of the actual novel. The world Grahame created is truly original and fascinating, and I don't think it can be captured in another medium besides the actual novel. I don't know if wonderful books like Watership Down and the Redwall series could exist without this. The characters are also so enjoyable. Rat, Mr Badger, Toad, and (my favorite) Mole are written with such warmth. They (with the contrast of Toad of course) exemplify old-time values. Grahame celebrates friendship, homelife, and the wonder of nature. My favorite section of the book is the chapter "Pipers at the Gates of Dawn." In it, Mole and Ratty find such beautiful in the sound of the wind blowing through the reeds on the side of the river. The effect of the section (written in such gorgeous prose) is almost metaphysical. The two friends see such joy in a life where you can experience such beauty in the world within such a strong friendship. The Wind in the Willows is truly a magnificent read which deserves to have lasted this long. Grahame's creation is still fresh and children and adults will surely continue to enjoy it for many years to come.

I just read this lovely little book, having not read it as a child.
The pleasure of reading it transported me back to a time when I enjoyed the simple, uncluttered pleasures of imagination and dreams.
This is a truly ageless tale - one that can just as easy be read by an adult for one's own childish enjoyment, as it can be read TO a child, for theirs.

Tips for Teachers, my student's loved Wind in the Willows. They enjoyed the great characters and the humorous stories. However, use caution when using this book any earlier than 6th grade. The language can be difficult and discouraging for less advanced readers.

This is a tremendous piece of literature about talking animals, but it's much more serious than it sounds. It has many adventures in it, and it's fun to read. If you liked it, check out the sequels by William Horwood. He's also a great author.