The Wind in the Willows

Kenneth Grahame was born in Scotland in 1859. His best-known story, The Wind in the Willows, began as a series of bedtime stories for his son. It was published in 1908. Grahame died in 1932 but his book lived on. The Wind in the Willows has been adapted for the stage, film, and television, and it has never been out of print. Ernest Shepard (1879-1976) was an English painter and book illustrator. Encouraged by his parents to pursue art, he attended the Royal Academy Schools and began his career illustrating for Punch magazine. During the First World War, he aided the Intelligence Department by sketching combat areas, and he was later awarded the Military Cross for his service with the Royal Artillery. In addition to his work as an artist, Shepard wrote two autobiographies and two novels for children. He is best remembered for his anthropomorphic animal illustrations in The Wind and the Willows and the Winnie-the-Pooh series.