“Finding Winnie. The true story of the world’s most famous bear”

Finding Winnie. The true story of the world’s most famous bear
Author: Lindsay Mattick

Illustrator: Sophie Blackall

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: Pre-k to 5^th grade

Award: Caldecott Medal

Oh, how can you not want to read this book when there is a sweet little bear illustration looking at you? The story is about how Winnie the Pooh found his name. The story begins with little Cole asking his mother to read him a story about a bear to which she replies, “I’ll do my best.” She begins to tell a story about her great-grandfather Harry, a veterinarian (not a vegetarian), bought a baby bear on his way to “the other side of the ocean” to look after the horses who were used during WWI. After he buys his bear from the trapper that he meets at the station, Winnie becomes the mascot of his regiment. His regiments all fall in love with Winnie and helps raise him as their little mascot. Winnie travels everywhere with the regiments but soon has to be given up because Harry gets stationed to France which was not a good place for a bear to be during the war. Harry instead takes Winnie to London Zoo and promises to come back. Winnie is loved by everyone and especially a boy name Christopher. He visits Winnie bringing him food and toys. This gives his father, A. A. Milne, an idea to write the book Winnie the Pooh. That is how Winnie the Pooh books were born. Oh, and he names the bear Winnie because Harry is from Winnipeg.  

The book design is great. It comes with a dust cover with baby bear illustration and if you take it out (which you should) the cover welcomes you with a silhouette illustration of Winnie leading the way ahead in front of seven soldiers that extend till the back of the cover. The end covers too is illustrated beautifully of English forest with little fox running away into the trees. Some of the pages are filled with illustration while some have borders with the text on the side. One clever style on this book is that when Cole and Lindsay are talking. The text in italics. Since the story is a story within a story (frame story) it is good to have a differentiation of past and present.

Thoughts:

First of all, shame on me for not knowing how Winnie the Pooh got his name even though I always used to go for a walk near Winnie the Pooh tree (which is not there anymore) and yet I did not know about this story. Second of all, wow! I love how Winnie the Pooh got his name. My only question though why was Winnie with the trapper? Where was he going to take little Winnie? Anyway, I am just glad that Winnie ended up in London Zoo with people that cared and love him. The photos at the very end of the book are amazing to look at. This will be a fun story to read aloud to students as I am sure they will be familiar with Winnie the Pooh and would surely like to know the history behind their favorite cartoon character!