Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), Scottish-born author, was raised by his grandmother in Berkshire, England, along the banks of the Thames River. He was educated at Oxford and then worked for the Bank of England. As a pastime, he wrote light nonfiction and articles for newspapers. The Wind in the Willows, originally written as letters to his son, established him as a writer of children's books and had a deep influence on fantasy literature.