• The Wind in the Willows

  • By: Kenneth Grahame
  • Narrated by: David Thorn
  • Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
  • 3.7 out of 5 stars (180 ratings)

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The Wind in the Willows  By  cover art

The Wind in the Willows

By: Kenneth Grahame
Narrated by: David Thorn
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Publisher's summary

Since publication in 1908, The Wind in the Willows has established itself as one of the most popular children's books ever written. The animals Rat, Toad, Mole, Badger, and many more share their trials and tribulations as well as joys as they progress through the seasons of the year. The magical fantasy of their journeys starts on the river bank and goes to the heights of Toad Hall, a truly fine mansion of many secret passages. All children will delight and be taken away on the wings of imagination.

Read by David Thorn and a supporting cast.

Public Domain (P)2003 Alcazar Audioworks

What listeners say about The Wind in the Willows

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unabridged (but dramatized)

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator (David Thorn) is actually pretty good, and his style is good for kids (a little theatrical). I listened to the samples from several versions, and bought this because I felt Thorn would be the most interesting for my younger girls. Unfortunately, I didn't listen to enough of the sample. Thorn is the narrator, but the direct quotes of the animals are dramatized. No real problem there, but the accents/voices of mole and badger (I stopped listening when badger was introduced) are so strangely done as to ruin the whole production. Mole is done in a whiney, jarring style that is off-putting, and badger is done in a high-pitched scratchy voice that does not seem

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One bad voice can ruin the whole thing

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

a difference voice actor for Mole

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of David Thorn?

He was awesome.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Frustration and disappointment. The narrator (who is wonderful) treats Ratty as an Englishman. But the voice for Mole is stylized, childish, cartoony (and a woman playing a man's part?) The characters in this book are meant to remind us of humans. The voice actress of Mole thought she was supposed to play a cartoon animal. Very distracting; I couldn't finish. Too bad, because the one who played Ratty was perfect.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unfortunate Characterisations

Any additional comments?

The narrator's voice, which I heard in the preview, was what I expected to hear throughout the performance; however, whenever one of the animals spoke it was a strange effeminate little characterisation with a silly American accent (as opposed to nice American accents), that entirely undid the listening experience. So I went with the Michael Hordern recording instead. That one is very good.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The voices are off putting

Mole's voice is distracting and makes it hard to enjoy the listening! We found the one narrated by Derek Jacobi to be enjoyable!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This story is WONDERFUL. The narration not so much

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I really love this story and the characters are so beautifully rounded. So flawed and real... it's hard not to picture them as human!
David Thorn's voice is lovely. It is clear and interesting to listen to. I wish that the entire book was read by him alone and that the "full cast" didn't exist.
My issues with the narration are as follows:
1. The music added in is very distracting and awkward.
2. The voice used for Mole (and for Otter) makes him far less appealing as a character than he is written. So sad to have a main character painfully annoying to listen to his dialogue.

I don't have a different one to recommend, but I'd suggest saving your money and not getting this one :/

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An old Favorite done wrong

Our family loves The Wind in the Willows, but couldn’t stand this cringey audible version. Who wants to listen to suffocated high pitched whiney voices?

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Made a school assignment EASY!

In our homeschool, The Wind in the WIllows is to be read to a second grader. With our style of schooling I end up doing a lot of reading to the children. These chapters are long and my voice was dying. Audibles to the rescue!! My 7 year old and I enjoyed curling up on the couch and listening to this story as we followed along in the book and enjoyed the illustrations. David Thorn does an amazing job with the voices. They just seem so right. You can picture the characters by his voice.

So if your voice is tired, snuggle up with a youngster and a copy of the book and share the love as you listen to David Thorn reading to both of you. You won't regret it!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

really!?

the mole sounded like a girl! and the badger sounded weird. but David thorn wasnt bad

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

awful casting /characterisation

actor who reads the mole destroys this whole reading/audio book. couldn't listen beyond 5 mins. waste of money - get a different version.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I like the friendship it's good much better than other book

This book is the best book you can think of because how many books have a very friendly rat and an awesome mole and some great friends❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🐀🐀🐲🐉

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2 people found this helpful