A Wind in the Willows Christmas Author:Kenneth Grahame, Michael Hague (Illustrator) From Kenneth Grahame's beloved classic comes a heart-warming tale of friendship, and homecoming. Since living with his good friend Rat, Mole has been away from his home, Mole End, for quite some time. But with the help of Rat's unwavering determination, Mole End is rediscovered and the empty place is transformed into a haven of warmth and conten... more »tment for Mole, Rat, and the cheerful field mice who come a-caroling. Michael Hague's wondrous, all-new paintings capture the tenderness and magic of this cherished story and its enduring holiday spirit.
Readers of The Wind in the Willows will remember the Christmas chapter "Dulce Domum," here slightly abridged and presented as a separate book. Rat and Mole are walking hurriedly through a forest one snowy night when a half-forgotten scent leads Mole down a tunnel to his former home. Field mice arrive as carolers, who join the pair for a merry Christmas Eve at Mole End. Most of the text is left unchanged; a note mentions the five paragraphs that were shortened. Though readers already familiar with Rat and Mole will find the full tale's essential poignancy more resonant, the abridgment respects the original text, and the story works as a separate book. Hague contributes a series of gouache paintings, which are warm in color, vivid in action, and full of lively details. A handsome Christmas book, this may inspire some children to read The Wind in the Willows.