THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Despite the attractive large format of this pleasant complete edition of the 1908 classic, the illustrations seem bland in comparison with either the lively wit of Ernest Shepard's drawings or Rackham's elegant and endearing detail. Percy does evoke the serenity of the English landscape and cozy interiors in his carefully designed full-color plates, while the characters come affably to life in his detailed drawings. There's a more contemporary flavor here, too, though costume and settings are appropriately Edwardian. Not a primary purchase, but a nice supplementary interpretation. (Fiction. 6+)