The New Adventures of Mr Toad: A Race for Toad Hall

I enjoyed this rip roaring adventure tremendously. As a child I listened to the Ladybird simplified version of the Wind in the Willows on tape over and over. I loved the characters, particularly Ratty and the very silly Mr Toad. This book introduces younger readers to the next generation of the Wild Woods in an updated and accessible way. The story features Mr Toad, who has been frozen for 100 years in his ice house, and young versions of Ratty, Mole and Badger from a few gerations down the family tree. The characters are more up to date than in the original but have lost none of their charm. By ingeniously including the original Mr Toad, the spirit of the the original story is very much alive. The plot is simple to follow but makes use of the best (or worst) characteristics of Mr Toad: his hubris, his love of driving (very badly) and his love of his home. It even keeps his 'poop poop' catchphrase while updating the setting. I guessed the plot twist regarding the race but do not think that a young child would see it coming. I could see this book being a great introduction to the characters of The Wind in the Willows for children who would be put off by the length or complex language of the original. It has beautiful illustrations and the story moves at a cracking pace. I think a 5+ reader would enjoy hearing it read but think for reading alone, it would be more suitable for 7+. I will certainly be sharing it with my 7 year old daughter who I think will greatly enjoy it. 160 pages / Ages 5-8 years / Reviewed by Alison Urquhart.

Suggested Reading Age 7+

The New Adventures of Mr Toad bring Kenneth Grahame's irrepressible Mr Toad from The Wind in the Willows back to life in an adventure that has bags of charm and car-fulls of adventure.... Whether or not children have read the original stories on which this new series is based, this story about friendship and hoping for the best will win them over - together with Holly Swain's excellent illustrations. When Mo, Ratty and Teejay (ancestors of the original friends) discover the old ice house of Toad Hall, they get an unexpected surprise - Toad, now defrosted after 100 years frozen in ice. Naturally, Toad wants to move back into his old house, Toad Hall, but the weasels have other plans for his property and Toad and his new friends will have to come up with an unlikely plan to win it back... Toad's irrepressible character shines through the story and the wonderfully expressive illustrations. These, together with the careful layout and design, make it a perfect independent read for children still growing in confidence, although it would be a wonderful story to share aloud to a class, especially if children know the original story. While the original text is aimed at older readers than this story, I still think this classic has been successfully revisited and brought bang up to date - I can't wait to see what Toad gets up to next.... 160 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Alison Gray.

Suggested Reading Age 7+