So there is a movie or a TV adaptation of this book, that I believe is somewhere in my subconscious. I didn’t know it was a book. I might have even thought that it was a part of the Toad and Frog books.
I would have never read this classic if it weren’t for a class I am taking, and I am so glad I did. It was a delightful read. The characters are so enjoyable and embody different friends that I believe everyone has in their lives.
It would definitely be a fun read for kids; to get to experience the forest and river through the eyes of woodland creatures. It’s a great read for adults though. It helped me return to the fun of summer adventures. I saw my friends in each of the characters in the group. I saw how my friends and I would act in each of the scenarios the creatures encounter.
The friendship in the book is my favorite. It shows masculine friendship in such a tender way that I believe our culture lacks. It also shows how friends should care for each other. Grahame did a wonderful job of showing these characters that are both childlike and grownup so everyone can relate to them. They live in this in-between. In between animal and human. In between adult and child. In between civilization and wilderness. In-between reality and magic.
The writing is also so beautiful. Grahame does a beautiful job of describing the woods. It takes you beyond just the physical beauty of the world, but to the spiritual and magical beauty, it has that we can only experience with our entire beings.
This is a really quick read, and it’s easy to digest. I highly recommend reading this during the Spring or Summer when you can sit listening to the sounds of nature and reading about the adventures that might be taking place right then.
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