What do you think?
Rate this book
The Adventures of Portly the Otter: Untold Tales from the Wind in the Willows
Follow the thrilling animal adventures of young otter Portly – including all your favourite characters such as Mole, Ratty and Toad, from the countryside classic, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
“Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING – absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats"
There is a time in a young otter’s life when they must be introduced to their river. For Portly, today was that day …
Told across four seasons in one year, little Portly has the greatest of adventures. Amongth other fur-raising encounters, the youngest of Mrs Otter’s pups learns to swim, battles a large trout, rescues a human girl, outwits the weasels and stoats of the Wild Wood and sleeps between the cloven feet of the god Pan – a scene familiar to readers of the original book.
“Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING – absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats"
There is a time in a young otter’s life when they must be introduced to their river. For Portly, today was that day …
Told across four seasons in one year, little Portly has the greatest of adventures. Amongth other fur-raising encounters, the youngest of Mrs Otter’s pups learns to swim, battles a large trout, rescues a human girl, outwits the weasels and stoats of the Wild Wood and sleeps between the cloven feet of the god Pan – a scene familiar to readers of the original book.
224 pages, Hardcover
About the author
M.G. Leonard
77 books323 followersM. G. Leonard is a writer of books, poems and screenplays. She has a first-class honours degree in English literature and an MA in Shakespeare Studies from Kings College London. She works as a freelance Digital Media Producer for clients such as the National Theatre, and Harry Potter West End, and previously worked as a Senior Digital Producer at the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe. She spent her early career in the music industry running Setanta Records, an independent record label, and managing bands, most notably The Divine Comedy. After leaving the music industry, she trained as an actor, dabbling in directing and producing as well as performing, before deciding to write her stories down. Maya lives in Brighton with her husband and two sons.
You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MGLnrd.
You can visit her online at www.mgleonard.com. Follow her on Twitter @MGLnrd.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 30, 2026
As a lover of the wind in the willows, I doubted this would live up to it but it bloody did! Portly was such a small character in the original book so it was a great choice to follow him and his adventures. I loved the little nods to the original story but really can be read on its own without any prior knowledge of Moley, Ratty Badger or Toad. teared up a few times with just how adorable Portly was and seeing him grow up from just a little cub to an adventuring little otter off to see the world.
April 15, 2026
"The Wind in the Willows" will always have a special place in my heart, as it makes me think of my mum (she read the book in hospital, after having either me or my brother - she can't remember which, due to the drugs she was on). So when I saw this new book, I was instantly drawn to it.
Now, it has been a fair few years since I last read The Wind in the Willows, but this new book was a lovely way to revisit some of the characters from there.
Across 12 chapters we follow Portly, a rather rotund little otter pup. From his first swimming lesson to him exploring more of his riverbank, we get to witness Portly initially worry that he is a disappointing sort of otter, due to his lack of swimming skills, to finding his place in the world. For anyone who has read The Wind in the Willows, you will recognise certain characters from there, along with parts of the original story, and I thought that this was a nice touch.
Polly Dunbar has also added beautiful illustrations to Portly's tale, which also helps to bring the characters and the stories to life.
I particularly enjoyed that this book didn't dumb down the language. Children will be able to learn new words, and that is fantastic.
Overall, this was a very sweet little book to keep me company. It has also made me want to return to the original
Now, it has been a fair few years since I last read The Wind in the Willows, but this new book was a lovely way to revisit some of the characters from there.
Across 12 chapters we follow Portly, a rather rotund little otter pup. From his first swimming lesson to him exploring more of his riverbank, we get to witness Portly initially worry that he is a disappointing sort of otter, due to his lack of swimming skills, to finding his place in the world. For anyone who has read The Wind in the Willows, you will recognise certain characters from there, along with parts of the original story, and I thought that this was a nice touch.
Polly Dunbar has also added beautiful illustrations to Portly's tale, which also helps to bring the characters and the stories to life.
I particularly enjoyed that this book didn't dumb down the language. Children will be able to learn new words, and that is fantastic.
Overall, this was a very sweet little book to keep me company. It has also made me want to return to the original
April 3, 2026
Utterly gorgeous in every way, from the beautiful illustrations to the sweet storytelling! I couldn’t have loved this more, fans of the Wind in the Willows will not be disappointed, this story feels right out of the original.
Portly and family completely stole my heart, I am obsessed with how cute this book is!
Perfect for 9-12 year old readers and could easily be read to younger readers.
Portly and family completely stole my heart, I am obsessed with how cute this book is!
Perfect for 9-12 year old readers and could easily be read to younger readers.
May 7, 2026
Super cute with adorable drawings
May 29, 2026
Absolutely charming!
April 8, 2026
As it's the Easter holidays I got to read this before the children.
Oh my goodness, it couldn't be further from the current Time Keys series!
It is gentle, warm and loving. A prequel to what we learn about Portly in The Wind In The Willows (which i've never read - but used to listen to a supply teacher read to the class in the softest, gentlest voice.
Portly is just a pup, not even able to swim when we first meet him. But he wants adventures even when he is scared stiff and put off swimming by the weir which almost drags him away. (He was trying to catch a large brown trout at the time!)
One adventure when he meets Mr Toad almost goes horribly wrong - thanks to Badger's intervention Portly is saved just in time.
But this friendship with Mr Toad leads to a large hamper being delivered at Christmas - so everyone believed him then when he said Mr Toad was his friend.
Portly decides that he will use his new compass (a present from Mr Toad) to map the river banks. But on going to Ratty's house to ask if he could take him as far as Toad Hall, he finds Ratty isn't there and nor is the boat.
However, he does find a message in a bottle. He wants to help whatever a Jennifer is straight away - but this leads him to danger in the Wild Woods. Even when he escapes the Wild Wood there is another danger - but here he meets another otter Molly....
Absolutely beautiful, heart-warming tale of an otter family. And Polly Dunbar's illustrations, in full colour, are equally beautiful and bring life to what you can envision in your head.
Oh my goodness, it couldn't be further from the current Time Keys series!
It is gentle, warm and loving. A prequel to what we learn about Portly in The Wind In The Willows (which i've never read - but used to listen to a supply teacher read to the class in the softest, gentlest voice.
Portly is just a pup, not even able to swim when we first meet him. But he wants adventures even when he is scared stiff and put off swimming by the weir which almost drags him away. (He was trying to catch a large brown trout at the time!)
One adventure when he meets Mr Toad almost goes horribly wrong - thanks to Badger's intervention Portly is saved just in time.
But this friendship with Mr Toad leads to a large hamper being delivered at Christmas - so everyone believed him then when he said Mr Toad was his friend.
Portly decides that he will use his new compass (a present from Mr Toad) to map the river banks. But on going to Ratty's house to ask if he could take him as far as Toad Hall, he finds Ratty isn't there and nor is the boat.
However, he does find a message in a bottle. He wants to help whatever a Jennifer is straight away - but this leads him to danger in the Wild Woods. Even when he escapes the Wild Wood there is another danger - but here he meets another otter Molly....
Absolutely beautiful, heart-warming tale of an otter family. And Polly Dunbar's illustrations, in full colour, are equally beautiful and bring life to what you can envision in your head.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The moment I unpacked this book I had to read it, just opening it, looking at the exclusive map endpapers, the otter under the dust jacket, the illustrations... the story... it's nostalgia in a book and I urge you, don't want for an excuse to buy this for a child, buy it now, do it for your adult self!
But yes this is a Children's book, described as being suitable for 7 - 12 reading age wise, but it's beautifully written and Adults and Children alike will lose themselves in the story. It has the charm, the heady summer vibes, the nostalgia of The Wind in the Willows, a story that many of us have fallen in love with over the years, and yes, some familiar faces too...
But yes this is a Children's book, described as being suitable for 7 - 12 reading age wise, but it's beautifully written and Adults and Children alike will lose themselves in the story. It has the charm, the heady summer vibes, the nostalgia of The Wind in the Willows, a story that many of us have fallen in love with over the years, and yes, some familiar faces too...
March 28, 2026
This book is absolutely charming!
I picked up a copy with sprayed edges which really adds to an enjoyable, indulgent read.
Yes, it is for children, but if you want to revisit the Riverbank as an adult then that is fine too.
All of the old friends are here, Moley, Ratty, Badger, Otter and oh yes, Toad too of course. The story revolves around Portly, the youngest child of Otter. These tales also tie in with the original Wind In The Willows story with references to the arrest of Toad and the Piper at the gates of Dawn.
The book has lovely illustrations and is an absolute delight. The author has clearly done her research!
I picked up a copy with sprayed edges which really adds to an enjoyable, indulgent read.
Yes, it is for children, but if you want to revisit the Riverbank as an adult then that is fine too.
All of the old friends are here, Moley, Ratty, Badger, Otter and oh yes, Toad too of course. The story revolves around Portly, the youngest child of Otter. These tales also tie in with the original Wind In The Willows story with references to the arrest of Toad and the Piper at the gates of Dawn.
The book has lovely illustrations and is an absolute delight. The author has clearly done her research!
May 9, 2026
Hooray for Portley the Adventurer
What an absolutely beautiful story.i love the original wind in the willows story and to have a new story with new characters but with old characters mixed in in such a treat.i loved every single character,(except the bad guys of course).I adored portley as a character and how he wasn’t afraid to try and he was always willing to help anyone in need.i hope we see more of Portley and his adventures
What an absolutely beautiful story.i love the original wind in the willows story and to have a new story with new characters but with old characters mixed in in such a treat.i loved every single character,(except the bad guys of course).I adored portley as a character and how he wasn’t afraid to try and he was always willing to help anyone in need.i hope we see more of Portley and his adventures
April 9, 2026
My son (5) and I both absolutely loved this book. It's beautiful to look at and the illustrations are gorgeous. My son's gasps and exclamations of recognition when the story intertwined with the Wind in the Willows (a beloved book) were so lovely to hear. We had a lot of 'don't stop reading, one more chapter, one more chapter!'. Portly is firmly in our hearts.
June 5, 2026
Ahhh... Wind in the Willows is one of my favorite books ever! And I love that now we have a continuation of the story, written by the talented MG Leonard. I think the tone of the story is a bit more juvenile here, but it can still portray the characters well. And the most important thing, I can still feel the atmosphere in the story, although it's not as melancholy as the original book.
June 9, 2026
I purchased the Waterstones exclusive version of this book and the pages are beautifully decorated.
The story is a delight to read and it’s a story that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Friends who care and look out for each other are the best!
I purchased this without ever reading Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind and the Willows. I need to change that.
Portly the Otter is such a sweet baby otter who lacks confidence, but it was wonderful to see that confidence grow.
The story is a delight to read and it’s a story that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Friends who care and look out for each other are the best!
I purchased this without ever reading Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind and the Willows. I need to change that.
Portly the Otter is such a sweet baby otter who lacks confidence, but it was wonderful to see that confidence grow.
April 29, 2026
Utterly delightful. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is sweet and engaging. I very much liked Portly, I liked his adventurous spirit, and it was fun to get glimpses of Ratty, Moley, Badger and Mr Toad.
April 9, 2026
Loved this little book! Beautiful illustrations.
April 14, 2026
Such a fantastic children’s book!
Highly recommend. Wholesome and funny
Highly recommend. Wholesome and funny
May 12, 2026
A sweet story in a beautiful binding. Perfect for getting children into the great Wind in the Willows.
May 29, 2026
Lovely story, could have had a stronger finish, not unlike Tom Milburns dating style.
June 7, 2026
What an adventurous tale filled with a bit of danger and wholesomeness!!!
April 9, 2026
beautiful book. I got the waterstones version and its so lovely, the illustrations are a joy
May 19, 2026
3.75 stars. Sweet and enjoyable story, but it is only second to the original WITW book. Nice nods there to original characters, esp. the Toad, but the charm of original storytelling and achingly beautiful magic of nature is hard to replicate.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews