Kenneth Grahame was a Scottish-born children’s fiction author, best known for his classic work “The Wind in the Willows,” which he published in 1908. Born on March 8, 1859, Grahame was raised in idyllic surroundings in the country by his grandmother after his mother's death when he was just five years old. His childhood experiences of boating and the riverside, especially along the River Thames and Quarry Wood, would later become the inspiration for “The Wind in the Willows.”\n \nGrahame was a bright student who excelled in both sports and academics during his time at St. Edward’s School from 1868 to 1875. However, due to financial constraints, he was unable to pursue university studies and instead began working for his uncle, David Ingles, who ran a parliamentary agents office. In 1879, he secured a job as a clerk at the Bank of England, where he worked for many years, eventually becoming the Secretary to the Bank by 1898. Despite his demanding job, Grahame retained an interest in writing and began contributing light nonfiction articles to various journals under a pseudonym.
Grahame's writing career took off when he began contributing to journals such as “The Yellow Book,” “WE Henley’s National Observer,” and the “St James Gazette.” Although he still worked for the bank, all of his works were published anonymously. During this time, he also began traveling to places outside London, playing billiards at Toynbee Hall, and going fishing. By 1907, Grahame's health had begun to decline, and he retired from the bank to live in the countryside of Berkshire. It was during this time that he wrote “The Wind in the Willows,” which would become his most enduring work and a classic of children's literature. In addition to “The Wind in the Willows,” Grahame also wrote “The Reluctant Dragon,” which was later adapted into a Disney film. He passed away on July 6, 1932, but his legacy as a beloved children’s author lives on.