Complete Winnie-the-Pooh - The Illustrated Children's Treasury

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Bother.

You were not supposed to read this book review now.

It was not on the cards.

Yet, here it is.

Here is the big one. It fought and struggled and wiggled its way to this page.

A 557 page hardcover book that weighs 4.2 pounds.

So good that it feels light as a feather.

Fantastic stories, fantastic illustrations (and no, this is not the Disney-illustrated version).

Large text with lots of white space on the pages.

A classic edition that has been sitting two full years on our library shelf.

Literally, I've been waiting years for this day.

For this key milestone in the healthy childhood of my twins.

The day when I would read this edition to my kids ... and see them fall under the spell.

If you want to replicate this experiment at home - you need an unabridged version of Winnie-The-Pooh illustrated with original Ernest H. Shepard illustrations.


Speaking of illustrations - make sure that you go with the colored ones. You have different options available.

Choose a single hardcover volume (like I did) or choose the four-book collection (perfect for little hands), but make sure that they include color versions of Shepard's drawings - as it makes all the difference. [Note: the links in the previous sentence will take you to the respective editions with the color illustrations].

This treasury that we are reading has all four of A.A. Milne's "Winnie-The-Pooh books" in a great binding and with excellent type - perfect for reading aloud at bedtime.

I've tried reading this book before my twins were four years old, yet it didn't click.

Last week we started again ... and my, what a difference a birthday makes.

The story sank in like an anvil thrown overboard.

As expected, little mouths were open and little eyes were glued to the pages.

Yep, I will not lie to you. This is not much of a challenge.

It is easy to read Winnie-the-Pooh to your kids.

Just open the book, find a chapter and start reading and let the hypnosis begin.

It is as simple as that.

We started this week - yet I cannot wait any longer to talk about this book.

A. A. Milne's exquisite language, the irreverence of his plots and his playfulness with syntax and vocabulary - it surprised my kids.

My twins expected a linear, predictable story.

What they got was cheeky irreverence.

They are well and truly hooked.

There is no way that kids can escape falling under the magical spell of Pooh and Piglet, Owl and Eeyore, Rabbit and Tigger, Kanga and Baby Roo .... and their master friend - the source of inspiration for all the stories - Christopher Robin.

But this is not a story for kids.

Beware, my friends, if you open this book, you will be unable to escape the charm of Pooh.



Umty-tiddly, umpty-too

Innocence is like polished armor; it adorns and defends.Bishop Robert South

Winnie-the-Pooh

This treasury contains all four of Milne's timeless classics: Winnie-the-Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner, When We Were Very Young, and Now We Are Six.

It is simply a read-aloud extravaganza. Every story (chapter) in the first two books works on its own, so it makes this collection a great option as it allows you to dip in, from time to time.

Each chapter is a gem. When we finish one, they cannot wait for me to read aloud the name of the next chapter - it is a mouth-watering experience for my twins.

No wonder my kids can listen to three long chapters in one sitting.

The House at
Pooh Corner

The first two books in this collection - Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner - are two collections of adventures that involve Winnie and his friends. Each of these books has ten chapters (or ten stories) - and together they account for half of this entire treasury.

The remaining two books of the collection - When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six - works assembling Milne's delightful poetry, with songs that are delightful read-alouds as well.

I may not be the biggest poetry fan in the world, but these poems are truly adorable and they manage to capture the innocence of youth - as much as the Winnie-The-Pooh stories manage.

The poems are so approachable for children, yet challenging.

Brief enough and long enough.

They are tongue-in-cheek and 'naive' at the same time. Milne is a master of tailoring his stories and poems for all ages.

Adults and kids alike will find relevant thoughts and ideas, as well as comfort and humor in Milne's text.

And, if you should think that you know it all there is about Pooh, there is good news.

Two years ago, the Trustees of the Pooh Properties approved a new companion volume that attempts to capture the style of A. A. Milne.

Eighty years after the publication of The House at Pooh Corner, when Christopher Robin said good-bye to Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood, the entire gang is back with new adventures.

Return to the Hundred Acre Wood

The illustrations in this new book were made in the same style of the originals and your child will certainly enjoy the possibility of prolonging this beautiful friendship with Christopher Robin's favorite toys.

The book, aptly named Return to the Hundred Acre Wood, promises to be a nice addition to any family's Pooh library. We haven't read it yet so I cannot share my thoughts - but I love the fact that it was done completely in style with the original Shepard illustrations.

A World To Believe In


To the uneducated, an A is just three sticks. 
        A. A. Milne 


The stories happen in an imaginary forest, the animals are regular animals, yet the stories are so intellectually challenging with their sudden changes of direction and hilarious riddles.

Milne - in his poems - perfectly paints a picture of childlike wonder, curiosity, and absent-mindedness.

A pure delight to share with kids.

I was bowled over by Milne's charm.

Yes, some books are so good that they are simply too good to be true.

And at 557 pages, this fantastic edition is an unmissable package of pure delight and whimsy.



I have to admit that I also went ahead and bought the individual books as well so my twins can handle them whenever they want to read them - instead of holding the treasury.

Another order? I know. Bother

But it is no bother really.

I wouldn't like my kids to miss out on this beautiful friendship with Pooh and his clan.

Don't miss out on this gold standard for children's literature.

It will do wonders for your child's intellectual development at a time when we are bombarded with simplified versions of the great Winnie-the-Pooh fables.

Now, what I am really interested in - is whether you will share an original version of Milne's Winnie-The-Pooh with the most important person in your life.

Let's pretend you have and let's see what happens.

Winnie-The-Pooh, The Complete Collection of Stories And Poems is available from bookstores in the US:

Amazon

The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping)

and other countries:

Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon DE