The Tao of Pooh
by Benjamin Hoff; ill. Ernest H. Shepard (Dutton, 1982)
The notion of explaining Taoism (the Eastern philosophy) by way of Winnie-the-Pooh (the pleasingly simplistic bear) is one of those inspirations that work better as lightbulb moments than as book-length treatments. Hoff makes his point in the foreword; the rest is belaboured.
Goodbye Christopher Robin
dir. Simon Curtis (2017)
A beautifully produced film with just the right amount of wonder to counterbalance the heart-breaking story of Christopher Robin Milne, the lonely child whose imaginings led to the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh but whose adolescence then buckled under the strain of public recognition.
The Best Bear in all the World
by Paul Bright, Brian Sibley, Jeanne Willis, and Kate Saunders (Egmont, 2016); audiobook read by Martin Jarvis (Bolinda, 2016)
The Estate of A. A. Milne deserves praise for its restraint in authorising Winnie-the-Pooh sequels. This 90th anniversary penning of new stories (one for each season) sees four Pooh aficionados craft adventures in the spirit of Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard.
Return to the Hundred Acre Wood
by David Benedictus (Egmont, 2009); audiobook read by Humphrey Bower (Bolinda, 2009)
Benedictus recaptures much of the charm — and certainly the narrative style — of A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh books. He also hasn’t been afraid to introduce a new character (Lottie the Otter). All that might be considered lacking is the original’s almost surreal absurdity.
Winnie-the-Pooh
by A. A. Milne (Methuen, 1926)
audiobook read by Bernard Cribbins (Bolinda, 2015)
Winnie-the-Pooh has never lost its appeal as a collection of gentle, safe children’s tales featuring loveable anthropomorphised animals with foibles. Bernard Cribbins upholds the tradition of making Piglet sound unspeakably annoying, but redeems himself by giving us Eeyore à la Geoff Boycott.