Module 2-The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh

Book Info:
The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shephard. Penguin Group, 1996.

Summary:
“Short and stout” and with a constant “rumbly in [his] tumbly,” Winnie-the-Pooh is such a well-known figure that most people would have no trouble identifying him or any of his friends from the Hundred Acre Woods, be it Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga and Roo, Eeyore, Owl, or Tigger. In this collection, the original Winnie-the-Pooh and its companion collection, The House At Pooh Corner, are collected along with Shephard’s original illustrations of Milne’s son’s (Christopher Robin) toys. In this collection, readers can revisit the classic stories of Pooh getting stuck in Rabbit’s doorway, the joy of playing Poohsticks, Eeyore’s almost forgotten birthday, and the introduction of the one, and only, Tigger.

My Take:
This is one of my favorite childhood books, though I haven't read any of the stories in a long, long time. I don't even really remember reading the stories when I was little, though I do remember watching the cartoons all the time when I was little. Tigger was always my favorite character because he's so fun-loving and silly, unlike Rabbit who's taciturn and worrisome (and reminded me a lot of my sister, which always tweaked her a bit if I pointed that similarity out). I still enjoy watching the Tigger Movie every once in a while with my mom or my little cousins (but then I still love watching most Disney movies, apart from the ones with rubbish writing but good songs--Pocahontas, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), so rereading these books was really fun and interesting. I still love Pooh and Piglet, and especially Tigger (and hold as one of my prize possessions a stuffed animal Tigger which is modeled after the original illustrations rather than the later Disney version), and found myself very happy to return to the Hundred Acre Wood and revisit some of my very good friends.

Reviews:
Children's Literature
Perhaps you have only read one or two of the stories by Milne or a few of the poems. Bits and pieces have appeared in myriad forms since their publication in 1926 and 1928. This beautiful single volume brings together all of the stories found in Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. Young children will be entranced, and like their parents and grandparents before them, they will fall in love with Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Christopher Robin. And for those who may not know it, Tigger didn't appear until the second volume of stories. This collection is too heavy for little hands, but it is a real treasure for parents and teachers who can read sections to attentive audiences. The illustrations have been recolored and they too will continue to delight readers, young and old. The introduction contains a bit of background material regarding the author and illustrator, but the real delight is reading the stories and enjoying the illustrations.

Suggestions:
Though this is a larger book, it would be very useful at a storytelling event for younger children as the larger pages makes the illustrations easy to view and the characters are most likely already well-known to many children who attend. It might also be fun to have some examples of the later illustrations, especially the cartoons and movies, so that kids can see how the characters have changed over time.