Though born in Edinburgh, Kenneth Grahame (1859-32) moved, along with his siblings, to Cookham Dean, Berkshire, at the age of 5 to live with his grandmother after his mother died and his father (who had a drink problem) was unable to care for them. It is here that Grahame was introduced to the riverside and boating, no doubt providing inspiration for the evocative setting of the bedtime stories that he later told his son Alastair and which led to his famous novel, The Wind in the Willows (1908).

Judith John (glossary) is a writer and editor specializing in literature and history. She has worked as an editor on major educational projects, including English A: Literature for the Pearson International Baccalaureate series. Judith's major research interests include Romantic and Gothic literature, and Renaissance drama.