The Land of Counterpane by Robert Louis Stevenson - read by Mr Naughton

From A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson - published in 1885., with illustrations by Jessie Wilcox-Smith.

Trees - a poem by Joyce Kilmer - commentary and reading by Mr Naughton

A well-loved poem from 1913

Sonnet 29 by William Shaksespeare, read by Mr Naughton

One of Shakespeare's most well-loved poems, Sonnet 29 is a hymn to love and friendship. The background music is Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A played by Ernst Ottensamer with the Vienna Mozart Academy conducted by Johannes Wilder

1. Wind in the Willows - Opening - We meet Mole...read by Mr Naughton

Right at the beginning of this wonderful novel Kenneth Grahame introduces Mole, one of the four main characters. More readings to follow.

2. Reading 2 of 'Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame - Chapter 1: Mole finds The River and glimpses Water Rat - read by Mr Naughton

Having met Mole in Reading 1, and finding him grown tired of spring-cleaning and white-washing his lowly little home, you'll remember that he climbed up into the fresh air. Here he finds himself in a beautiful rolling meadow, and crossing the meadow in ever higher spirits, Mole comes to the side of something rather wonderful - a river. The River. Delighting in the wonder of The River, he soon catches his first glimpse - and ours - of the next great character: Water Rat.

3. Reading 3 Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame - read by Mr Naughton: Messing about in boats...

4 Reading 4 Wind in the Willows read by Mr Naughton

In one of the most celebrated passages from the whole book, Rat tells us all about his beloved river - The River

5 Reading 5 of Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame read by Mr Naughton

Mole enquires about the Wild Wood