Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

The Wind in the Willows

By Tara L. Rivera, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Timeless classic about Toad's adventures and his friends.

Book Kenneth Grahame Friendship 1908
The Wind in the Willows Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 7 parent reviews

amandashsmith
amandashsmith Adult
December 26, 2019
age 16+

Cussing

The book uses the word ass at least 11 times and also other inserts such as stupid, fool, idiot. My 12 year old was upset
Achieveobedience
Achieveobedience Adult
August 26, 2020
age 6+

My six year old enjoys reading it

My 6 year old is reading this book to us at night, he usually can make it through a chapter a day or sometimes half a chapter. So far he really enjoys it. We have to help him with some of the more unusual words (he got stuck on “thither” and “Frolicking” because he has never seen them before but was able to sound them out and then we explained what the words meant. ) He enjoys the story line so far and has been excited to catch up with the characters at night before bed. We explained “ass” is another word for donkey and it wasn’t an issue, he continues to enjoy reading the book. He’s a fairly advanced reader for his age so I’m not sure if most six year olds could read this book without help but would certainly enjoy parents reading along with them.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Kenneth Grahame, who wrote this as a series of bedtime stories for his son in 1908, introduces readers to a society filled with animal etiquette. The underground Badger appears to be society-hating but does follow protocol; it bothers him most that vain and trendy Toad (the most entertaining character) does just what he wants. Toad gets bored with boating and finds a new hobby -- motor cars -- that results in a prison break, and a somewhat reformed Toad sees the error of his ways through the help of his pals.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (10 ):

A timeless classic for generations, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS may be difficult for today's kids in terms of its language and pacing. But parents can help in a read-aloud setting. Patrick Benson's cross-hatched drawings in this edition are so similar to Ernest H. Shepard's original ink drawings that they don't add anything particularly new.

Wealthy, spoiled Toad has a way of getting his friends in trouble, especially when he gets a motor car, but he can always count on Mole, Water Rat, and Badger to get him out again. Friendship drives this social structure and this story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the character of Toad. Do you like him at the outset?

  • Would you want Toad as a friend?

  • How do the characters learn and grow from their relationships?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate