Willow Buds, The Tale of Toad and Badger (2008)

Author and Illustrator:

Mary Jane Begin

Publisher:

Little Brown and Company

Ages 3–8

Discover the world before The Wind in the Willows, the beloved classic by Kenneth Grahame–when the childhood adventures of best buds Ratty, Toady, Badger and Mole were just beginning! In this first tale, Archibald Toad the Third is used to having everything he wants to himself. So he’s in for an unpleasant surprise when the new nanny brings her gentle son, Badger, to share in all that Toad Hall has to offer. Though Toady and Badger get off to a rocky start, they soon learn that having a true friend is worth a whole lot more than having all the toys in the world.