In 1926, A.A Milne wrote Winnie the Pooh and followed it with a sequel, unaware that his books would later be known as one of the most beloved pieces of children’s literature (Melrose 4). Milne created a world in which children and adults alike could escape into the world of Pooh and his friends, consequently allowing readers to learn the same lessons the characters did. Milne’s inspiration to create many of his animal characters came from his son’s toys, but the most influential individual to Milne was his son, Christopher Robin Milne, whose name Milne used for his human protagonist (Crews 15). Milne used his surroundings and gave them a life of their own in his writing, one in which many readers, both in the past and present, have come to relate to.  

 In the book, Milne creates characters which such varied personalities, from the shy and anxious Piglet to the enthusiastic Tigger. These multiple personalities allowed many children to be able to relate themselves to his characters and even learn from their experiences (Lurie 1). The different appearances and temperaments of the characters teach children about acceptance and how friendship transcends the many differences amongst individuals (Cramer 85).  In relation to human characters, Christopher Robin presents children with a child-like hero that plays the role of the adult. In the presence of his animal friends, he watches over them as the diligent parental figure (Clarke 64).  

 Presently, Winnie the Pooh remains to be a popular children’s book, but is no longer just a book. The name, Winnie the Pooh, is now related to a television series, several movies and merchandise as well. Although the success of the book significantly advanced Milne’s career it also brought many complications with it. Milne resented the popularity of the book as it overshadowed his other works (Reid 1). Readers yearned to read more of Pooh’s story and neglected the author’s other books. Furthermore, the original Christopher Robin disliked his involvement in the book as he felt he lived in the shadow of his portrayal in his father’s books (MacPherson 1). The relationship between Milne and his son became strained as the book became more popular. Although the success of his book helped his professional life it created problems in his family life (Lurie 1).  

 In relation to reading the book aloud, children are provided with, “images and ideas for [them] to write about” (Pina 102). This skill is further developed when children are listening or reading a story that includes illustrations. These images within a story allow children to imagine a world similar to the one the author imagined as he/she wrote the book (Murphy 23). A story that may seem uninteresting to a child can become appealing with illustrations. Images also create another method of interpreting the story, reading a book can be intimidating to a child and illustrations can help ease this anxiety of reading (Grenby 14).   

Works Cited 

Clarke, Jacqueline. “Three Cheers for Winnie-the-Pooh.” Instructor (1990): 64. Print.” 

Cramer, Ronald D. “Winnie the Pooh and Friends.” The Gazette (2009): 7. Print.  

     Crews, Frederick C. The Pooh Perplex: A Freshman Casebook. New York: E.P. Dutton &  

Company Incorporated, 1963. Print.  

Ed. Murphy, Brian.  Reading in Children’s Literature.  Australia: Frankston State College  

Publication, 1978. Print. 

 Grenby, M.O. The Child Reader.  New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011.   

Print.  

Lurie, Alison. “The Countercultural Winnie-the-Pooh” Los Angeles Times. (1990): 1-15. Print.  

Macpherson, Karen. “Winnie the Pooh Turns 75.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (2001): 1.  Print.  

Melrose, A.R. Beyond the World of Pooh. United Kingdom: Methuen Publishing Limited,

2000. Print.  

Pina, Alicia. “Teaching Illustration Through Children’s Literature.” The Reading Teacher. 38.6  

(1993): 99-111. Print.  

 Reid, Rob. “Winnie-the-Pooh.” South Bend Tribute. 15:6. (2006): 1. Print.