The Wind in the Willows: The Complete First Series - G
Common Sense Note
Viewers raised on the computer animation of Pixar and its ilk may find the claymation of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS a bit low-tech. But these engaging, gentle stories of friendship are well worth sharing with your kids. The animation is actually quite wonderful. The figures of the animals are very expressive, and the narration perfectly suits the characters.
The stories are more sophisticated than a lot of what's out there for kids, so they make perfect viewing for the whole family.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Sarah Wenk
Four animal friends in Edwardian England star in these gentle stories, based on the book by Kenneth Grahame. Badger is stern but kind, Mole is gentle and shy, Ratty is a poet and a lover of nature, and Toad is boastful and silly, but always learns in the end that friendship matters most. The pace is leisurely and the stories range from more to less exciting, but they are all interesting and intelligent, with wonderful narration by English actors, and beautifully executed claymation that really does bring the characters to life. The friends wrangle with the wily weasels, search for buried treasure, struggle with the urge to see more of the world, and rescue Toad from various scrapes of his own devising.
The old-fashioned setting and the human characteristics of the animals can be great starting points for discussion, and might even lead to re-visiting the book. You can even discuss the different experiences of watching claymation versus the computer animation used in most contemporary films and shows.
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