Silly Old Bear! Winnie The Pooh by AA Milne

Winnie The Pooh by AA Milne. 1926.

Bump, bump, bump on the back of his head. Winnie Ther Pooh. Haycornes and Heffalumps.

How many times have I read these charming stories to my own kids, skipping whole pages so bedtime doesn’t stretch on until 10pm?

The tone is gentle, paternal (without being didactic). And there’s a lesson to writers here: if you write about your own kids, change the names. Apparently Christopher Robin (the real boy) was quite harassed by classmates for having a popular book out about his playtime imaginings. Moral #2: modern authors might not want to mimic the Pooh style too closely. Timeless sensibilities to appreciate: repetition, delightful characters (very Toot & Puddle—rather they are very Pooh), nostalgic prose. But please add a little of today’s characteristics like brevity for a more parent-friendly read.

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