Winnie the Pooh : A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear (Updated Edition)

• FOREWORD
• CHAPTER ONE : In Which The Origins of Winnie the Pooh Are Discussed
• CHAPTER TWO : In Which Walt Disney Becomes Involved
• CHAPTER THREE : In Which The Characters Are Presented :
• CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
• WINNIE THE POOH
• PIGLET
• TIGGER
• RABBIT
• EEYORE
• KANGA & ROO
• OWL
• GOPHER
• CHAPTER FOUR : In Which The Films Are Presented :
• WINNIE THE POOH AND THE HONEY TREE
• WINNIE THE POOH AND THE BLUSTERY DAY
• WINNIE THE POOH AND TIGGER TOO
• WINNIE THE POOH AND A DAY FOR EEYORE
• CHAPTER FIVE : In Which The Popularity of Pooh Continues
• CHAPTER SIX : In Which Pooh Wins the Prize
• INDEX

It's no wonder that Winnie the Pooh is the best-loved bear in the world; he was born of a father's love for his son. In 1920, novelist and playwright A. A. Milne became a father for the first time and named his son Christopher Robin. Inspired by the little boy's imagined conversations with his toys, Milne turned his attention to children's stories and published four book set in a wonderful world called the Hundred-Acre Wood.

Since Milne's Winnie the Pooh made its debut in 1926, the silly old bear and his friends Tigger, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, Kanga, and Roo have grown in popularity, transcending time and media. The honey-loving gang has charmed children and parents alike through books, film, television, and song. Pooh's appeal is universal, because while he may be a bear of very little brain, he values the things that matter most : friendship, loyalty, and, well, honey.

The Walt Disney Company has built a rich history around Winnie the Pooh, having acquired the film rights to Milne's stories in 1961. And while the manner of presentation has varied throughout the decades, the intent has remained the same : to tell stories that are far from being stuffed with fluff. On the contrary, the many Disney films, shorts, and series featuring Pooh have always imparted valuable morals, delightful comedy, and love. With the release of the 2011 film, Winnie the Pooh, Disney has returned to the roots of the Hundred-Acre Wood, paying homage to Milne's classic works and Ernest H. Shepard's time-honored style.

Winnie the Pooh : A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear traces the history of Pooh, beginning with his literary debut and culminating with his most recent theatrical appearance. This updated edition includes additional material detailing Pooh's modern incarnations, and dozens more illustrations that help tell his story. One word of caution before reading, though : this enthralling tale may leave you with a serious craving for honey.

CHRISTOPHER FINCH, as a young child, believed that he was the Christopher Robin of the wonderful stories his mother read to him at bedtime. Even after, as Finch notes in his Foreword, he "began to sense that [he] was not the only Christopher Robin in the world," he continued to be fondly attached to the world of Pooh because of his name. It is only fitting that Finch adds this book to the list of more than twenty titles he has authored, including The Art of Walt Disney and The Art of the Lion King.

Winnie the Pooh was born on August 21, 1921, as a first birthday gift to a little boy named Christopher Robin Milne. Pooh grew up to become the most beloved and famous bear in the world. He has appeared in books and films, and on all sorts of things from bed covers to postage stamps. How is it possible for a stuffed toy animal to achieve such greatness?

Pooh’s road to fame began with A. A. Milne, an English novelist and playwright. Inspired by his four-year-old son, Milne tried his hand at some children’s poems, which were well received. Thereafter, between 1924 and 1928, Milne published four classic children’s books that introduced Christopher Robin and his fanciful friends Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, and little Roo.

While the literary Pooh continued to win new generations of fans, an on-screen Pooh was destined to expand the appeal of the Hundred-Acre Wood. In 1961, Walt Disney acquired the exclusive film rights to Milne’s Pooh stories. Since then, The Walt Disney Company has produced numerous shorts, features, and television shows about the Silly Old Bear, and that tradition continues with the release of the 2011 film, Winnie the Pooh.

Winnie the Pooh: A Celebration of the Silly Old Bear is a tribute to the wonder of Pooh, from his origin and literary success to his brilliant animated career and continued popularity. This is his story; but, moreover, it is his art—including more than 200 illustrations that detail the evolution of Pooh and his friends from stuffed toys to animated characters.