AN enduring favourite from the volumes of children’s literature was celebrated by young and old alike today (Sunday October 12).

Wind in the Willows is the seasonal featured book in County Durham libraries, with 1,000 copies of the Kenneth Grahame’s timeless classic distributed to schools and community centres during the autumn.

It was also the subject of a talk and readings staged as part of Durham Book Festival’s Big Read event today (Sunday).

Grahame’s popular portrayal of English riverside wildlife, brought to life by its central characters Mr Toad, Badger, Ratty and Mole, forms the centrepiece of a display, Books for Boys, at Durham’s Palace Green Library.

The library played host to today’s talk by Professor Simon James, head of English studies at Durham University, interspersed by readings by actor Mark Benton.

He played the part of Mr Toad in a Northern Stage adaptation of Wind in the Willows, in Newcastle, in 2010, and today’s event gave the larger than life Teesside-born thespian the chance to put a voice to all the much-loved characters.

“It was great, I loved it. Once you get into it you can’t stop.

“Ratty, Mole, Badger, you have to give it a bit of character.

“It’s a wonderful book which I enjoyed reading as a kid and which my kids have all read as well.

“It’s a classic which has withstood the test of time and which will continue to prove popular in years to come.”

Prof James said it was one of a host of books which enthused adventure-seeking young readers in the Edwardian era on the lead up to the First World War.

But he added that it’s a book which adults happily return to, recalling fondly from their younger days.