Mole, Ratty, Badger, and of course the irrepressible Mr. Toad are the stars of this very English tale of camaraderie and the joy of "simply messing about in boats." Written for readers 9 to 12 but possessing an eloquence that any adult reader can savor, this 1908 classic—illustrated by Kate Greenaway Medal winner Grahame Baker Smith—follows Toad as he takes to the road in a traveling wagon, runs afoul of the law, breaks out of jail, and, with the help of his friends, retakes Toad Hall from some freeloading weasels.