Winnie – the – Pooh

Jo Bryant
Illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard

I was undecided about whether to include Pooh in the reading challenge. It was such a favourite as a child. Then I remembered the joy I found in the Hundred Acre Wood when my own children were small.

Illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard

In the library I found the 80th Anniversary Edition. It is a beautiful edition with Ernest H. Shepard’s illustrations taking you away from the Disney hype and reminding you of long ago memories of Pooh and his friends.

From the dedication ‘TO HER’ to Pooh going bump, bump, bump up the stairs behind Christopher Robin in ‘We Say Goodnight’ I lost the adult world that is mine and my body smiled during the journey through A. A. Milne’s.

Illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard

Where else could you find a bear with no brain who will roll in mud to look like a black cloud and sail in to the air under a blue balloon hoping to reach that oh so tempting hunny?

Each story is a delight and there is no place for hanging on to being a grownup.

It seems impossible to pick a favourite story.

Eeyore losing his tail, Pooh visiting Rabbit, Kanga and Baby Roo, Piglet meeting a Heffalump and all the rest are adventures that take you along so that you actually say “Oh” and “Ah”. You feel your eyes getting brighter and your cheeks puffing out as your mouth turns upward.

Yet there is one – for me.

Chapter Six – in which Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents

Illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard

Pooh eats all the hunny in the jar on his way to Eeyore’s and Piglet falls and breaks the balloon he’s carrying.

But the gifts are perfect. Piglet’s scrap of red balloon fits in Pooh’s Useful Pot.

There is a lesson in there !!!

Eeyore it seems also got more than that. For Christopher Robin is reminded of — a little — a little…

Well I think I leave that for you to discover !!

There are some books that have no category, no target audience.

There are some books that transcend all divisions.

And I am already looking forward to the day I can introduce my grandchildren to the one I think does it better than most ~~~ Winnie – the – Pooh ~~~

Isn’t it funny

How a bear likes Honey?

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

I wonder why he does?

(From Chapter One ~ Winnie – the – Pooh)

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Illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard

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Click on the image above to read what others think of books they are rereading for this challenge.

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Published by Jo Bryant

I was born in the land of Banjo Paterson, gum trees, and weather extremes. I am a freelance photographer. I love to make images that make people happy. To capture forever a precious moment. I am also a freelance writer/editor. I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, but still like to claim my Australian heritage. I graduated with a Bachelor of Communications in 2008. I am writing my first novel. I love to write poetry, short stories, and also write for the web. And there is nothing that is on a par with a sunny summer's day spent at Waihi Beach.

32 Comments

  1. Oh, how I loved those original Pooh stories when I was little! All but the very last one – as a small child I found it unnatural and creepy that Christopher Robin and his Bear would “always be playing”, and never ever get a chance to grow up!

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  2. My thirty year old daughter and I still love to read Winnie the Pooh to each other. Last year, for my birthday, she painted a “thotful spot” sign for me. i cherish it.

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    1. Oh that is just adorable…what a great daughter !!! I love hearing them – I actually read the book out loud – that was one of the best parts. Hearing the words.

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  5. Aw thanks Jo as you say its so nice to see the non Hollywood Pooh, the cutest pooiest bear that ever lived. He’s a different shape in your book form the modern images!

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    1. Because he’s the real Pooh he will always be the best one. I really dislike what Disney has done to Pooh and Piglet and the rest of the gang. A friend was telling me that these days Christopher Robin is a girl…WTH !!!

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  6. I love Winnie the Pooh. I have a set of four tiny Winnie the Pooh books that I’ve had from childhood. Every time I move they always travel with me and not in a box on a truck or a ship. I would be heart broken if I lost those little books.

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  7. Oh, I loved Winnie the Pooh as well. My favourite story is the one where he got stuck in Rabbit’s house because he ate too much honey. LOL! Love the illustrations hon.

    By the way, you will see that I’ve changed back to my blogspot sweetie. I really have nothing much to share here and I would rather just visit you and read your lovely posts. I have nothing productive here that I can post on WordPress and no use in having a blog if I feel like that and I felt silly by having a private blog. I mean, after all blogging is supposed to be fun and you have to have something to share. I am a creative kind of person. I want to create, not talk and well, I am not a good writer. I can only ramble. hehehe. So, you are more than welcome to vist my blogspot if you feel like it…no pressure. 🙂
    *hugs*

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    1. I like that story too. Actually I like them ALL !!!!! I will pop over to your blog…trouble is I am having trouble commenting on Blogger. Nine times out of ten I can’t. So if I don’t say much it doesn’t mean i ain’t been there. Don’t know why it is but it is frustrating.
      ;(

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  8. I loved Pooh, and ‘The Faraway Tree’ and ‘Mumfie’ and ‘TinTin’ and ‘Peter Pan’ and Beatrix Potter, etc! etc – sigh 🙂

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    1. Didn’t we have a terrific assortment at our disposal ? These days it is Dora the Explorer apparently. Just doesn’t have the same puch as a Winnie the Pohh or an Eeyore.

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  10. I have a friend that is in her 40’s and still buys anything that is affiliated with Whinnie the Pooh. She’s obviously never grown up, or might it be that Pooh keeps the kid in us alive? Either way, Pooh is here to stay, no doubt about it. 🙂

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  11. Great little tour of a favorite set of stories! Reminds me: when I was little, I had a puzzle of the 100 Acres Wood — made a great visual, w/ its spatial relationships, etc. Alas, it disappeared & I never knew what happened to it. Bother!

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      1. Well, I’ve always hoped that someother little kid ended up with it & was happy:)

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  12. Boy does this bring back memories. I won “The Christopher Robin Story Book” – prize awarded for Arithmetic when I was in Standard 1 and I was so proud. I have just fished it out of my bookcase. Must read it again.
    Thank you for joining on Google friend connect.

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  15. 😀 I loved Pooh when I was a kid! All the gang’s adventures and such wonderful stories. The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet are ALSO excellent reads. 😉

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