The chapters of this book are oddly put together. I think it would have worked better if all of Toad's chapters were together one after the other as one story in the second half of the book, and the rest together in the first half, in order of season.

I have a cute hardback Wordsworth classics edition that was lovely to read. My feelings about the story (stories) is split pretty cleanly between the Toad chapters and the rest. I LOVED chapters 1-7, they get 5 stars from me - I fell in love with the Mole and the Rat, and loved the descriptions of nature and the countryside around them, including the The piper at the gates of dawn. These chapters (with the exception of ch6, the Intervention for Toad) feel like a love letter to Mother Nature and the changing of the seasons.

But I didn't enjoy ch 8 & 10-12 as much, Toad's adventures (and ch9 with the Sea Rat's story I basically skimread, as I was bored!). I don't find Toad a likeable character, entertaining though he is, partly I think (view spoiler) Those chapters I think would get 3 stars or even less from me.

Therefore, my overall rating is 4 stars. If I ever reread it - because I am sure to - I will probably only read chapters 1-5 & 7....