The Reluctant Dragon

Kenneth Grahame was born in Edinburgh on 8 March 1859. He was brought up by his grandmother in Cookham Dene in Berkshire and went to school in Oxford before starting work at the Bank of England. He was unable to go to university because of his family's lack of money. His stories and essays were initially published in periodicals such as the Yellow Book and then collected together as Pagan Papers (1893). This was followed by The Golden Age (1895) and Dream Days (1898). The Wind in the Willows (1908) is based on letters and stories that Graham made for his only child, Alistair. The novel's popularity grew slowly over the years and A. A. Milne's dramatisation of the novel as Toad of Toad Hall brought it greater success. Kenneth Grahame died on 6 July 1932.

David Thorn spent his childhood in the Channel Islands off the coast of France, was schooled in England, and then immigrated to the United States at the age of twenty-three. He is retired from international commerce and currently resides in California.

Susan McCarthy is the narrator of numerous audiobooks, including such classics as Jane Austen’s Lady Susan and Sherwood Andersen’s Winesburg, Ohio. Her love for reading began as a young girl, when she discovered the Nancy Drew mystery series and was immediately hooked. Also a voice-over artist, she received her training at VoiceTrax San Francisco.

Alcazar AudioWorks is an audiobook producer and publisher for all ages. Founded in 1999, they specialize in classical stories, many of which are specially commissioned for home school curricula.

Bobbie Frohman, a third generation Californian, was raised in a large extended family, the niece of cowboys. Early on she developed a deep love of animals, training her dogs to perform with her at dog shows, and as a competitive barrel racer with her beloved horse, Lucky.