The Willows and Beyond - Hardcover

Horwood, William; Grahame, Kenneth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312193653 ISBN 13: 9780312193652

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 1998

Synopsis

Continues the adventures of Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger as they reminisce about their past escapades and prepare to turn over the River Bank to the next generation.

About this title

Review:

William Horwood, author of two other bestselling "sequels" to Kenneth Grahame's beloved classic, The Wind in the Willows (The Willows in Winter and Toad Triumphant), picks up where Grahame left off, with nary a misstep. The flavor and tone of his thrilling story, along with Patrick Benson's marvelous crosshatched illustrations, have done the impossible: brought Grahame's characters back to life. Like a river, time moves inexorably forward. Ratty, Mole, Otter, Toad, and Badger are growing older. They are content to live out their lives on the River Bank in peaceful reflection--until, that is, one of those mysterious eddies of life picks them up and spins them around. It all starts when Rat, while "communing" with the River, senses that something is terribly wrong. Soon after, a mysterious summons to collect an item from the post office arrives. From there, the adventures gather speed. Whether fighting off the horrible Beast of the Iron Bridge, rescuing Rat from a near-fatal bout with indigestion, or trying to save the Wild Wood from impending, polluting Progress, the friends have no time to slip quietly into old age. Even so, each animal must begin to prepare for the next generation. (All ages, 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From the Publisher:

Praise for William Horwood's Tales of the Willows series:

"Better than a sequel--Horwood loves and understands Grahame's dream, and wants not to cash in on it but to be part of it." --The Times (London) on The Willows and Beyond

"With its humor, tenderness, suspense, and happy ending, this novel will appeal to everyone who likes a pleasant story and a good read." --The Christian Science Monitor on Toad Triumphant

"The old characters pop back to life as you begin reading." --The New York Times on The Willows in Winter

"Patrick Benson's cross-hatched illustrations seem to have been lovingly guided by the hand of Ernest Shepard...." --Cleveland Plain Dealer on The Willows in Winter

About this edition

• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0312193653
• ISBN 13: 9780312193652
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 289
• Illustrator: Benson Patrick