Wind In the Willows

Listeners won't find familiar passages from Grahame's classic in this dramatization. Nevertheless all should be delighted with Alan Bennet's adaptation which portrays the familiar characters of Ratty, Mole, Mr. Toad and friends. There's great music, gurglings of The River, hoots from the motorcars and the sounds of nature the characters cherish. The whole presentation will entertain devotees and initiates of all ages. The program is a great example of how, with imagination and care, a beloved story can be changed from the original text and succeed beautifully. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

August 1, 2002
Mary Jane Begin illustrates the classic story of Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Each chapter opens with a vignette and includes a full-page painting of a dramatic moment in the proceedings.

This classic adventure story, set in early twentieth-century Britain, features the lovable characters Rat, Toad, Mole, and Badger. Narrator Shelly Frasier's clear, pleasant voice carefully distinguishes these four creatures, and it's easy to keep their identities straight, though her throaty characterization of Ratty's voice occasionally makes one want to cough. However, Frasier must constantly switch from her native American accent to the British voices of her characters, which is somewhat distracting at first, though one gets used to it as the story moves along. The naughty toad is her best creation--she seems to understand his dreamy but destructive love of motor cars completely. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine