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The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood
Loved “Goodbye Christopher Robin”? Learn more about the real place that inspired the beloved stories.
Delve into the home of the world’s most beloved bear! The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh explores the magical landscapes where Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their friends live and play. The Hundred Acre Wood—the setting for Winnie-the-Pooh’s adventures—was inspired by Ashdown Forest, a wildlife haven that spans more than 6,000 acres in southeast England. In the pages of this enchanting book you can visit the ancient black walnut tree on the edge of the forest that became Pooh’s house, go deep into the pine trees to find Poohsticks Bridge, and climb up to the top of the enchanted Galleons Lap, where Pooh says goodbye to Christopher Robin. You will discover how Milne's childhood connection with nature and his role as a father influenced his famous stories, and how his close collaboration with illustrator E. H. Shepard brought those stories to life. This charming book also serves as a guide to the plants, animals, and places of the remarkable Ashdown Forest, whether you are visiting in person or from the comfort of your favorite armchair. In a delightful narrative, enriched with Shepard’s original illustrations, hundreds of color photographs, and Milne’s own words, you will rediscover your favorite characters and the magical place they called home.
Delve into the home of the world’s most beloved bear! The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh explores the magical landscapes where Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their friends live and play. The Hundred Acre Wood—the setting for Winnie-the-Pooh’s adventures—was inspired by Ashdown Forest, a wildlife haven that spans more than 6,000 acres in southeast England. In the pages of this enchanting book you can visit the ancient black walnut tree on the edge of the forest that became Pooh’s house, go deep into the pine trees to find Poohsticks Bridge, and climb up to the top of the enchanted Galleons Lap, where Pooh says goodbye to Christopher Robin. You will discover how Milne's childhood connection with nature and his role as a father influenced his famous stories, and how his close collaboration with illustrator E. H. Shepard brought those stories to life. This charming book also serves as a guide to the plants, animals, and places of the remarkable Ashdown Forest, whether you are visiting in person or from the comfort of your favorite armchair. In a delightful narrative, enriched with Shepard’s original illustrations, hundreds of color photographs, and Milne’s own words, you will rediscover your favorite characters and the magical place they called home.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2015
107 people are currently reading
1890 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Aalto
5 books38 followersKathryn Aalto is a writer, designer, historian and lecturer. For the past twenty-five years, her focus has been on places where nature and culture intersect: teaching literature of nature and place, designing gardens, and writing about the natural world. Her work explores historic and horticultural themes with a contemporary twist. She is the author of The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood (2015) and Nature and Human Intervention (2011).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
November 22, 2015
What a nostalgic journey into the people, places, and events that helped shape A.A. Milne and his beloved characters' stories.
The book begins with a biography of Milne that was heartwarming and at times fascinating. Milne began reading before age 3 in a loving home that encouraged the boys to explore the world. His father meant a lot to him and he excelled in everything he could to make him proud.
One of his favorite teachers taught his class about the natural word with enthusiasm with plenty of field trips outdoors, the Natural history Museum, the London Zoo, and more. This teacher would later become well-known author H.G. Wells.
H.G. Wells
Milne later married and had a son they named Christopher Robin. Christopher was the one who bestowed his teddy bear with the famous moniker, "Winnie-the-Pooh".
The real Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh
Milne's wife was the one that created the voices for all of Christopher Robin's stuffed animals.
The stuffed animals of the real Christopher Robin
The book also reveals the biography of illustrator E.H. Shepard and how they came to collaborate on a stories that continue to score top slots of Favorite Children's Books lists today.
The inspiration for The Hundred Acre Wood comes from Ashdown Forest. It was once a royal hunting forest that stretched ten square miles. The book is resplendent with pages of old and new photographs and drawings of the area. I wanted to melt into the pages and explore them on my own.
The real Christopher Robin, Pooh, and the tree they played in that was Pooh's house.
Next the book takes readers on Winnie-the-Pooh stories along with the real life stories and locations that inspired them. Heffalumps, Woozles, the flood, the Gloomy Place, Poohsticks Bridge, the Bee Tree, the Thoughtful Spot, Piglets House, and more take center stage inside the pages of the book.
The real Poohsticks Bridge
Visitors to Ashdown Forest occasionally build these Eeyore houses for others to enjoy.
Then we are treated to a chapter discussing the actual flora, fauna, and geology of Ashdown Forest. The accompanying calendar-worth pictures are a treat: from landscapes, to closeups of flowers and birds.
Finally, we learn more about the tourists that flock to the area and how to find the locations and event (you can attend the World Poohsticks Championship).
Now all I want to do is spend a sentimental day discovering the magic Ashdown Forest and looking for evidence of Pooh and his friends.
The book begins with a biography of Milne that was heartwarming and at times fascinating. Milne began reading before age 3 in a loving home that encouraged the boys to explore the world. His father meant a lot to him and he excelled in everything he could to make him proud.
One of his favorite teachers taught his class about the natural word with enthusiasm with plenty of field trips outdoors, the Natural history Museum, the London Zoo, and more. This teacher would later become well-known author H.G. Wells.
H.G. Wells
Milne later married and had a son they named Christopher Robin. Christopher was the one who bestowed his teddy bear with the famous moniker, "Winnie-the-Pooh".
The real Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh
Milne's wife was the one that created the voices for all of Christopher Robin's stuffed animals.
The stuffed animals of the real Christopher Robin
The book also reveals the biography of illustrator E.H. Shepard and how they came to collaborate on a stories that continue to score top slots of Favorite Children's Books lists today.
The inspiration for The Hundred Acre Wood comes from Ashdown Forest. It was once a royal hunting forest that stretched ten square miles. The book is resplendent with pages of old and new photographs and drawings of the area. I wanted to melt into the pages and explore them on my own.
The real Christopher Robin, Pooh, and the tree they played in that was Pooh's house.
Next the book takes readers on Winnie-the-Pooh stories along with the real life stories and locations that inspired them. Heffalumps, Woozles, the flood, the Gloomy Place, Poohsticks Bridge, the Bee Tree, the Thoughtful Spot, Piglets House, and more take center stage inside the pages of the book.
The real Poohsticks Bridge
Visitors to Ashdown Forest occasionally build these Eeyore houses for others to enjoy.
Then we are treated to a chapter discussing the actual flora, fauna, and geology of Ashdown Forest. The accompanying calendar-worth pictures are a treat: from landscapes, to closeups of flowers and birds.
Finally, we learn more about the tourists that flock to the area and how to find the locations and event (you can attend the World Poohsticks Championship).
Now all I want to do is spend a sentimental day discovering the magic Ashdown Forest and looking for evidence of Pooh and his friends.
April 7, 2021
Ever since You Know What began last year, I have been strangely adsorbed by non-fiction - and this book did not disappoint! I couldn't put it down: it is absolutely charming. This memoir delved deeply into the background of both Milne and Shepherd and gave fascinating details on the real life inspiration behind the classic stories we know and love. From botany lessons, to historical anecdotes, to information about the International Pooh Sticks Championship, this book was full of delightful surprises! Beautifully and sensitively written by a true Pooh connoisseur, I'm sure you'll find it to be as sweet as honey!
September 30, 2015
5 stars for execution, 4 for my personal enjoyment.
Did you know that Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by a real place you can visit today?
Nature and literature often go hand-in-hand, at least in my mind. Scenery description and a sense of place is one of my favorite aspects of fiction, and I always enjoy learning about the settings of literary works. It makes them that much more real! I didn’t know it before, but the Hundred Acre Wood, the world of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, was inspired by Ashdown Forest (which contains a portion called the Five Hundred Acre Wood), in East Sussex, way down on the bottom of England. A.A. Milne, his wife, and his son, Christopher Robin, lived on the northern edge for years.
When Christopher Robin was little, A.A. Milne, already professional and prolific, turned his mind to writing children’s stories, and the greatest of these came out of the life of his son. Christopher Robin possessed toy stuffed animals and played and adventured in Ashdown Forest. Episodes and places in the Pooh stories, such as Poohsticks Bridge and the Heffalump Trap, can be traced to actual occurrences in the Forest and at the Milnes’ home, Cotchford Farm.
I learned all this from Kathryn Aalto, the author of The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring the Real Landscapes of the Hundred Acre Wood. This delightfully written book caters especially to nostalgic Winnie-the-Pooh fans. It includes a fascinating look into the lives of A.A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard, plenty of excerpts and illustrations from Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, beautiful photographs, and a grand tour of Ashdown Forest and its connections to the books. I was a little disappointed that some of the events in the books can’t be traced to specific locations in the Forest, but I understand that’d be hard to do, since the Forest itself has changed. The last section is a nature guide to Ashdown Forest. Nature features heavily in the book, as its title would suggest. I recommend this for any serious Winnie-the-Pooh fans and people who love literary landscapes, and English topography in particular.
(I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways, so I was under no obligation to write a positive review.)
Did you know that Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by a real place you can visit today?
Nature and literature often go hand-in-hand, at least in my mind. Scenery description and a sense of place is one of my favorite aspects of fiction, and I always enjoy learning about the settings of literary works. It makes them that much more real! I didn’t know it before, but the Hundred Acre Wood, the world of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, was inspired by Ashdown Forest (which contains a portion called the Five Hundred Acre Wood), in East Sussex, way down on the bottom of England. A.A. Milne, his wife, and his son, Christopher Robin, lived on the northern edge for years.
When Christopher Robin was little, A.A. Milne, already professional and prolific, turned his mind to writing children’s stories, and the greatest of these came out of the life of his son. Christopher Robin possessed toy stuffed animals and played and adventured in Ashdown Forest. Episodes and places in the Pooh stories, such as Poohsticks Bridge and the Heffalump Trap, can be traced to actual occurrences in the Forest and at the Milnes’ home, Cotchford Farm.
I learned all this from Kathryn Aalto, the author of The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring the Real Landscapes of the Hundred Acre Wood. This delightfully written book caters especially to nostalgic Winnie-the-Pooh fans. It includes a fascinating look into the lives of A.A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard, plenty of excerpts and illustrations from Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, beautiful photographs, and a grand tour of Ashdown Forest and its connections to the books. I was a little disappointed that some of the events in the books can’t be traced to specific locations in the Forest, but I understand that’d be hard to do, since the Forest itself has changed. The last section is a nature guide to Ashdown Forest. Nature features heavily in the book, as its title would suggest. I recommend this for any serious Winnie-the-Pooh fans and people who love literary landscapes, and English topography in particular.
(I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways, so I was under no obligation to write a positive review.)
August 5, 2015
I enjoyed the first 70 or so pages, which included brief biographies of Milne and Shepard, but this book could have been much less gushy, and more interesting in terms of describing the areas that were the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood and the other sites of Pooh's adventures.
November 6, 2015
The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh is a book I came across with some interest. It seemed to echo a lot of the more populist literary tourism titles relating to British children's literature (written from an overseas perspective, focusing on a classic and canonical text) and I was keen to see what it made of Ashdown Forest and Winnie-the-Pooh.
Aalto splits her text into three key sections: the collaborations between A.A. Milne and E.H Shepard; the origins of the stories; and the flora and fauna of Ashdown Forest. There's a slight crossover between these sections and some elements suffer from being repeated, but as a whole it's handled well. Aalto clearly loves her topic and the landscape. The book is liberally illustrated in full colour, both with Shepard's illustrations and with substantial photographs of Ashdown Forest and the local area.
Certain elements of The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh did feel overwritten at points and the pragmatist within me longed for less of the conjecture and more of the facts. Books of this nature though are always those which blur the line between truth and fiction quite liberally, and I do genuinely welcome that. I welcome more however, an awareness of that line between the two and often find myself reading these moments with an awareness more of the ideological weight of the sentences rather than a concern for the sentences themselves. Language is revealing, here, superficially, but also underneath. You'll read these reviews and become aware of not only what I'm saying but also the perspective I'm talking from when I review these books. I am soaked in maps and references and literary topography at this point, and they do colour my work. The state of my desk colours my work. The state of my to do list colours my work. What I had for lunch colours my work. They cannot not colour my work.
And I think that maybe, having said all that, I rather love that in texts dealing with literary tourism, and the localism of books, that this personal agenda becomes so foregrounded. It's almost palpable in this book at points; Aalto's intense passion for the site, her attempts to locate the key points of the book within the woods and her passages on the flora and fauna of the forest are a delight. These books come from love, really.
There are definitely points when The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh could have done with a lot of editing; and a little more concern for the experience of the reader (I rail, somewhat, at cutesy 'let's go and see' paragraphs, but that is an intensely personal stylistic vendetta), but as a whole, it's a passionate and heartfelt tribute to an area of the country perhaps unique in children's literature terms.
Aalto splits her text into three key sections: the collaborations between A.A. Milne and E.H Shepard; the origins of the stories; and the flora and fauna of Ashdown Forest. There's a slight crossover between these sections and some elements suffer from being repeated, but as a whole it's handled well. Aalto clearly loves her topic and the landscape. The book is liberally illustrated in full colour, both with Shepard's illustrations and with substantial photographs of Ashdown Forest and the local area.
Certain elements of The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh did feel overwritten at points and the pragmatist within me longed for less of the conjecture and more of the facts. Books of this nature though are always those which blur the line between truth and fiction quite liberally, and I do genuinely welcome that. I welcome more however, an awareness of that line between the two and often find myself reading these moments with an awareness more of the ideological weight of the sentences rather than a concern for the sentences themselves. Language is revealing, here, superficially, but also underneath. You'll read these reviews and become aware of not only what I'm saying but also the perspective I'm talking from when I review these books. I am soaked in maps and references and literary topography at this point, and they do colour my work. The state of my desk colours my work. The state of my to do list colours my work. What I had for lunch colours my work. They cannot not colour my work.
And I think that maybe, having said all that, I rather love that in texts dealing with literary tourism, and the localism of books, that this personal agenda becomes so foregrounded. It's almost palpable in this book at points; Aalto's intense passion for the site, her attempts to locate the key points of the book within the woods and her passages on the flora and fauna of the forest are a delight. These books come from love, really.
There are definitely points when The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh could have done with a lot of editing; and a little more concern for the experience of the reader (I rail, somewhat, at cutesy 'let's go and see' paragraphs, but that is an intensely personal stylistic vendetta), but as a whole, it's a passionate and heartfelt tribute to an area of the country perhaps unique in children's literature terms.
August 1, 2020
This is such a delightful book! A true ode to Winnie the Pooh and A. A. Milne's writing.
Partly the author's biography, partly the book exploring the places and things that inspired Milne to write the beloved classics, I adored every page. There's a lot of beautiful photos and interesting facts from the author's life, and how he created Winnie the Pooh and his friends.
It was a wonderful, nostalgic and feel good read that was perfect during those warm summer months. It took me back to my childhood and I loved it. It's absolutely wonderful how these stories still live with us and charm so many children, almost 100 years after the publication. And now I too feel like I want to re-read them! :)
Partly the author's biography, partly the book exploring the places and things that inspired Milne to write the beloved classics, I adored every page. There's a lot of beautiful photos and interesting facts from the author's life, and how he created Winnie the Pooh and his friends.
It was a wonderful, nostalgic and feel good read that was perfect during those warm summer months. It took me back to my childhood and I loved it. It's absolutely wonderful how these stories still live with us and charm so many children, almost 100 years after the publication. And now I too feel like I want to re-read them! :)
December 28, 2015
While I loved the concept of this book I didn't always love the book. The beginning was GREAT. It told the history of A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin and also told about how many of the places in Winnie-the-Pooh were real based on their childhood experiences. But towards the end it became more like a travel brochure of what to look for while you're visiting Ashdown Forest (and let's be honest, I probably never will that's why I'm reading this book). However, the pictures were beautiful and plentiful. I can feel like I've been there without leaving my home.
December 18, 2021
the premise of this book intrigued me, and i enjoyed it much more than i expected for a random library find! very lovely.
May 7, 2025
Awesome Backstory of Winnie the Pooh
November 11, 2019
Just a sweet as you'd imagine. Though I expected more about the forest itself and a bit less about Milne and Shepard's backstories.
April 30, 2016
What a charmer! Gorgeously produced (sewn binding!) and beautifully illustrated (with photographs and E.H. Shepherd's illustrations), this book—as you can probably tell from the title—explores the very real places that inspired the locations depicted in A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.
It begins with a bit of background on Milne and his son Christopher Robin, and Milne's collaboration with Ernest Shepherd to create the Pooh classics, and continues with a good tramp around Hundred Acre Wood...or, rather, Ashdown Forest, comparing the beloved locales from the stories to the actual locations, with the oh-so-familiar map of Hundred Acre Wood as a guide. The last chapter is a guide to the flora and fauna of the area.
This book is perfect for anyone who dreams of literary walking adventures across the English landscape—as I do, wistfully—and one that I will always hold close to my heart, a real treasure.
A couple of quibbles, however, one of which is an occupational hazard: I was disappointed that, for all the care that was given in the assembly of this book, the same could not be said for editing. I found missing words, incorrect uses of subject/verb, and plain old typographical errors. And for all of the advance reviews, I cannot agree with anyone who said that the book was “beautifully written”; it was not, particularly. Well-researched, yes; beautifully written...no. I've read gorgeous writing, but not here.
I decided to not allow these to detract from my overall enjoyment of this book—a difficult thing for me—but these problems are there.
It begins with a bit of background on Milne and his son Christopher Robin, and Milne's collaboration with Ernest Shepherd to create the Pooh classics, and continues with a good tramp around Hundred Acre Wood...or, rather, Ashdown Forest, comparing the beloved locales from the stories to the actual locations, with the oh-so-familiar map of Hundred Acre Wood as a guide. The last chapter is a guide to the flora and fauna of the area.
This book is perfect for anyone who dreams of literary walking adventures across the English landscape—as I do, wistfully—and one that I will always hold close to my heart, a real treasure.
A couple of quibbles, however, one of which is an occupational hazard: I was disappointed that, for all the care that was given in the assembly of this book, the same could not be said for editing. I found missing words, incorrect uses of subject/verb, and plain old typographical errors. And for all of the advance reviews, I cannot agree with anyone who said that the book was “beautifully written”; it was not, particularly. Well-researched, yes; beautifully written...no. I've read gorgeous writing, but not here.
I decided to not allow these to detract from my overall enjoyment of this book—a difficult thing for me—but these problems are there.
June 8, 2025
4.5/5 stars
May 28, 2019
First of all I am not a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh so I guess I could say that I am not surprised with my rating for this particular book. Instead the reason I chose to read it was since I have some omnibuses of the original author's works while I was hoping to find something new and interesting that would spark my interest while leading me into the actual reading.
Instead I found myself caught in a deceptively written book and really wanting to get rid of it as soon as I could as I try to finish reading all the books I start. The author chose to use the book not only as a walk through but basically giving you everything you didn't want to know while doing very little to inform you of what you do want to know.
The whole first chapter itself was basically a biography of both author and illustrator with more time spent on Milne predictably. As a result you had to learn about them as children, where they were in their lives when they chose to make the Pooh books, their families, where they live and how the events of their families or lives were used to influence the book.
At the same time the reader had to go over and over again that children aren't given the same chance of childhood that Milne was so gifted with, that they aren't allowed to play or travel without supervision and that they need to be able to prowl without supervision in wilderness areas even if it is a park. Although some of this may have valid points I am not reading this book to learn this theory, to rethink my parenting habits or have a debate on how historically the times have changed in safety concerns when it comes to children or how you are able to walk all over England versus the United States where it is a bit more of a challenge.
The next chapter covers the actual woods just a bit and different locations mostly village-wise. Again even those they villages surround Milne's farm and the forest what do they have to do with Pooh and his friends?
The actual part that covered the fauna and flora of was sadly anemic in most cases. It was nice to hear about the plants and some of the guesses that may have led to locations in the books but I would have loved to have gotten more information on them. But then again these also usually led to other rabbit trails into unwanted information.
The animals was even more anemic with a large highlight being set on the birds and the insects but these two sections being divided by a whole lengthy discussion of Pooh Sticks. Why does a game need to be inserted into an animal section? And almost any other native animal was ignored to top it off. Come on you had two pictures of deer but no mention whatsoever to them in the pages.
Another disappointment was the padding of the book to make it a nice-sized book. There were over 60 pages of pictures alone in this giant book of just pictures and captions, which although I may like pictures wasn't what I was expecting. If I wanted a picture book then I may have looked for a picture book. Other parts of the book were excerpts taken from the original stories as if the author doesn't think the reader read Pooh, original drawings and even more pictures while the font was quite big.
All in all it was a disappointment to get this dull book and a failure on its presentation as a Pooh guide. Although I did learn a few things like Milne was actually the one behind Eeyore's attitude and not Christopher Robin it wasn't enough to actually make up for the rest of the work.
Instead I found myself caught in a deceptively written book and really wanting to get rid of it as soon as I could as I try to finish reading all the books I start. The author chose to use the book not only as a walk through but basically giving you everything you didn't want to know while doing very little to inform you of what you do want to know.
The whole first chapter itself was basically a biography of both author and illustrator with more time spent on Milne predictably. As a result you had to learn about them as children, where they were in their lives when they chose to make the Pooh books, their families, where they live and how the events of their families or lives were used to influence the book.
At the same time the reader had to go over and over again that children aren't given the same chance of childhood that Milne was so gifted with, that they aren't allowed to play or travel without supervision and that they need to be able to prowl without supervision in wilderness areas even if it is a park. Although some of this may have valid points I am not reading this book to learn this theory, to rethink my parenting habits or have a debate on how historically the times have changed in safety concerns when it comes to children or how you are able to walk all over England versus the United States where it is a bit more of a challenge.
The next chapter covers the actual woods just a bit and different locations mostly village-wise. Again even those they villages surround Milne's farm and the forest what do they have to do with Pooh and his friends?
The actual part that covered the fauna and flora of was sadly anemic in most cases. It was nice to hear about the plants and some of the guesses that may have led to locations in the books but I would have loved to have gotten more information on them. But then again these also usually led to other rabbit trails into unwanted information.
The animals was even more anemic with a large highlight being set on the birds and the insects but these two sections being divided by a whole lengthy discussion of Pooh Sticks. Why does a game need to be inserted into an animal section? And almost any other native animal was ignored to top it off. Come on you had two pictures of deer but no mention whatsoever to them in the pages.
Another disappointment was the padding of the book to make it a nice-sized book. There were over 60 pages of pictures alone in this giant book of just pictures and captions, which although I may like pictures wasn't what I was expecting. If I wanted a picture book then I may have looked for a picture book. Other parts of the book were excerpts taken from the original stories as if the author doesn't think the reader read Pooh, original drawings and even more pictures while the font was quite big.
All in all it was a disappointment to get this dull book and a failure on its presentation as a Pooh guide. Although I did learn a few things like Milne was actually the one behind Eeyore's attitude and not Christopher Robin it wasn't enough to actually make up for the rest of the work.
March 19, 2022
I might be too generous giving this book 3 stars, I found this book to be very difficult. It was very verbose, but most of the pages were excerpts from other books. It starts off with small biographies of A.A. Milne and E H. Shepard and then shows the farmhouse that the Milne's lived. I found the organization of this book added to the difficulty of reading it. It shows a photograph of the location current time or when the Milne family lived there but doesn't show the illustration or brief description on the same page. There were also no inside photographs of the farmhouse, or the tea shop nearby. I also found that there was a lot in this book that didn't add to the purpose of celebrating these books for example historical information about the forest. Then in later chapters there are photos of birds, flowers, and insects that live there but it feels very disconnected from the Winnie-the-Pooh books. Ultimately, I feel that this book is a book to skip.
September 30, 2025
Gorgeously written and photographed book all about the forest that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood that the famous Winnie-the-Pooh series is based on. Loved all the illustrations from the books as well as the vintage photography of the series author and illustrator, with their families. Beautiful description of the natural world, touching on bird life, plant life and stories about author and illustrator (Milne and Shepard).
July 9, 2023
This did not work for me. I usually like my non-fiction to feel like your having a conversation with someone, this just felt like a 277 page travel brochure. After the first 100 pages it felt like so much of this was just drawn out and kind of tedious.
June 10, 2023
I wish there had been fewer references to the book in which Aalto tells you what happens in the story from beginning to end, but the biographies and actual descriptions of the place were interesting.
November 22, 2023
Loved this book so much. Definitely one for those who love that silly old bear.
December 16, 2018
This book is, as another reviewer said, gushy. The author repeatedly tells us how caring and nurturing A. A. Milne's father was, how children consider the places in which they play to be magical, and how the place where Christopher Robin did X is, amazingly, still there today, and occasionally she repeats factual statements almost as though her readers have some kind of short-term memory loss. I wonder about Timber Press' editing for overall coherence, and notice that Ms. Aalto doesn't seem to thank an editor in her acknowledgements.
Given the title, I expected the book to be aimed at an audience that is familiar with the Winnie-the-Pooh books (i.e. an audience that knows the Hundred Acre Wood), yet she summarizes stories and quotes long passages as if we had never read the stories.
The section about the collaboration between A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepherd relies more on biographical and historical fact (and supposition based on fact) than it does on summaries of episodes in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories (the basis of the second section). In the third section, the author looks at the natural world of the forest that inspired the 100-acre wood. To me, this was more of a series of snippets than a coherent description of the flora and fauna - but that might have been because by this time I was flipping through the book reading here and there in the vicinity of the photographs.
I appreciate that the author spent a wonderful year traipsing around Ashdown Forest. Reading the acknowledgements made me realize that her experience tracking down information and doing on-site research and exploration could well have made a more interesting book than The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh ... .
Given the title, I expected the book to be aimed at an audience that is familiar with the Winnie-the-Pooh books (i.e. an audience that knows the Hundred Acre Wood), yet she summarizes stories and quotes long passages as if we had never read the stories.
The section about the collaboration between A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepherd relies more on biographical and historical fact (and supposition based on fact) than it does on summaries of episodes in the Winnie-the-Pooh stories (the basis of the second section). In the third section, the author looks at the natural world of the forest that inspired the 100-acre wood. To me, this was more of a series of snippets than a coherent description of the flora and fauna - but that might have been because by this time I was flipping through the book reading here and there in the vicinity of the photographs.
I appreciate that the author spent a wonderful year traipsing around Ashdown Forest. Reading the acknowledgements made me realize that her experience tracking down information and doing on-site research and exploration could well have made a more interesting book than The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh ... .
September 23, 2015
The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood by Kathryn Aalto
Who hasn't heard of Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin? Did you read the popular A.A. Milne stories as a child or maybe you read them to your children or grand children?
This book is a gem of background information behind the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends. I found that having these tidbits of information gave more meaning and depth to Christopher Robin, the real boy, who played with his imaginary friends.
We learn about the man, A.A. Milne and the illustrator E.H. Shepard. Their partnership and the way they worked together made books that children have loved to read for 90 years.
Living in the USA, I never thought I would be transported to Ashdown Forest where Milne worked his magic to bring to the page Christopher Robin's playtime adventures. We learn about the plant and animal life in the forest. I love that Kathryn Aalto urges us to visit the real Hundred Acre Wood where everything "Pooh" happens.
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
Who hasn't heard of Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin? Did you read the popular A.A. Milne stories as a child or maybe you read them to your children or grand children?
This book is a gem of background information behind the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends. I found that having these tidbits of information gave more meaning and depth to Christopher Robin, the real boy, who played with his imaginary friends.
We learn about the man, A.A. Milne and the illustrator E.H. Shepard. Their partnership and the way they worked together made books that children have loved to read for 90 years.
Living in the USA, I never thought I would be transported to Ashdown Forest where Milne worked his magic to bring to the page Christopher Robin's playtime adventures. We learn about the plant and animal life in the forest. I love that Kathryn Aalto urges us to visit the real Hundred Acre Wood where everything "Pooh" happens.
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
May 21, 2017
This is a fun behind-the-scenes look for anyone who loves the original Winnie-the-Pooh books: a look at the real English countryside and woodland locations that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood, all of which are beautifully preserved to this day. I particularly liked the earlier section of the book on Milne and Shepard's backgrounds and childhood experiences, and how Milne drew on his own childhood memories as well as his son's toys and imaginary plays in crafting the Pooh stories. Probably preferred that to the later chapters focusing specifically on the flora and fauna of the real-life locations. I did think the author's recapping of plots and incidents from the Pooh stories just a teeny bit copious, given that the audience for this book is likely people who already know them forwards and backwards, but that's a minor quibble. A fun read.
(And how entirely appropriate that the author fell into a gorse bush while doing her on-location research!)
(And how entirely appropriate that the author fell into a gorse bush while doing her on-location research!)
August 22, 2015
If you're a great fan of Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories and a lover of nature, you may be interested in reading this book which relates how the environment Milne was raised in and raised his son in influenced his writing of the Pooh stories. If you are such a fan that you are considering a trip and think this will be a guide, I'm afraid to spoil for you that many of the natural points of interest either no longer exist or are not quite what you will expect. You cannot look at a map of Pooh's world and then go off to find Owl's house, etc. Milne seemed to draw inspiration from his environment but was not that literal about it. That said, Aalto does a commendable job with her research and includes many passages of text from the Pooh stories to complement the natural points of interest.
August 3, 2015
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Timber Press for early access to this book.
I love these Timber Press books! Lovely photos and really interesting information on the topics. This one goes into some great detail of the lives of A.A. Milne and Shepherd and how they were inspired to write and illustrate the Pooh books. I loved the details of Ashdown Forest, and the locations of so much of the books. The only real lack was any of the Disney controversy, but that may have just detracted from the loveliness of the book. This is a great read and a great companion to their one on Beatrix Potter.
I love these Timber Press books! Lovely photos and really interesting information on the topics. This one goes into some great detail of the lives of A.A. Milne and Shepherd and how they were inspired to write and illustrate the Pooh books. I loved the details of Ashdown Forest, and the locations of so much of the books. The only real lack was any of the Disney controversy, but that may have just detracted from the loveliness of the book. This is a great read and a great companion to their one on Beatrix Potter.
January 20, 2016
This is an odd little book. I'm not sure the author ever quite figured out who her audience was--on the one hand, Pooh fans, obviously, but then why is it necessary to summarize some of Pooh's adventures? If we're fans, we already know them. And while there were places that the writing was awkward or repetitious, there were occasional passages of lovely writing. Yet these quirks somehow actually added to the charm of the book. Also, the photos alone are worth the price of admission.
January 1, 2016
What a nice, relaxing way to start 2016! I am a real Pooh enthusiast and amateur scholar of Milne and Pooh, so this was a perfect way to both learn more and enjoy recapturing my childhood memories.
July 6, 2019
Kathryn Aalto gives us the inside information on the stories of Winnie the Poo and his friends. This book is divided into three sections. She begins with the biography of the author, A.A. Milne, and his collaboration with the illustrator, E.H. Shepard. Apparently Milne wanted his son to have a similar childhood to his own and moved his family to Ashdown Forest with that sole purpose in mind. He wrote the stories originally for his son, Christopher Robin and incorporated Christopher's toy animals into a tale where they lived in a real forest, Ashdown Forest.
The second section of Aalto's book describes the forest and surrounding area. She describes it as "ten square miles of heathland and woodlands". Today it is an important ecological preserve. In the past it was the place of inspiration for more writers and poets than just Milne. G.K. Chesterton called it "the place where London ends and England can begin." Being close to London, I suppose, is one reason it was so popular, but also Aalto describes it in a way that makes you think it has a magic, an appeal of it's own.
In the last part of the book, Aalto describes the fauna and flora of the forest and gives a visitors' guide. The whole book is interspersed with photos of the present day area as well as Shepard's illustrations taken from the books.
While I found it interesting, I also was pulled away to read other books at the same time, so it took a long time to finish but I learned a lot about an area and an author that formerly I knew nothing. I and my kids always loved the "Winnie the Pooh" books and characters and so, it was interesting to learn about the story behind the stories.
The second section of Aalto's book describes the forest and surrounding area. She describes it as "ten square miles of heathland and woodlands". Today it is an important ecological preserve. In the past it was the place of inspiration for more writers and poets than just Milne. G.K. Chesterton called it "the place where London ends and England can begin." Being close to London, I suppose, is one reason it was so popular, but also Aalto describes it in a way that makes you think it has a magic, an appeal of it's own.
In the last part of the book, Aalto describes the fauna and flora of the forest and gives a visitors' guide. The whole book is interspersed with photos of the present day area as well as Shepard's illustrations taken from the books.
While I found it interesting, I also was pulled away to read other books at the same time, so it took a long time to finish but I learned a lot about an area and an author that formerly I knew nothing. I and my kids always loved the "Winnie the Pooh" books and characters and so, it was interesting to learn about the story behind the stories.
April 20, 2020
A lovely book, lavishing illustrated with Shepard's black-and-white as well as watercolor illustrations from the original Pooh books as well as generously embellished with photos from the Ashdown Forest. It's a mix of gorgeous and protected landscape and a semi-biography of Milne and his years living at Cotchford Farm with his family. Aalto tries to identify noted landmarks from the Pooh stories which Milne discovered when on walking excursions with his son, Christopher Robin. There are dozens of photos of the wildlife and domestic animals, trees, birds, butterflies and moths along with flowers and plant growth, streams and countryside.
The author goes into the geology of the area; the possible origins of Ashdown's name )no ash trees); hundreds of warrens built when rabbits were a prolific source of protein for the commoners of the area. The connections to ancient Roman archaeological sites. And the connection to English royalty over the centuries. The literary connection to Milne and Pooh contributes to the thousands of visitors but it still manages to keep the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty.
And, of course, in Oxfordshire there is the World Poohsticks Championship. Seriously. One of the more quirky English competitions with it's own set of rules. Make sure you bring your own poohsticks especially if you plan on playing a game or two at the original Poohsticks Bridge in Ashdown Woods. No need to denude nearby trees....
So, if you're a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh, you need to add this to your library collection. It's gorgeous and insightful and shows the love the author has for her subject in every loving word.
2020-075
The author goes into the geology of the area; the possible origins of Ashdown's name )no ash trees); hundreds of warrens built when rabbits were a prolific source of protein for the commoners of the area. The connections to ancient Roman archaeological sites. And the connection to English royalty over the centuries. The literary connection to Milne and Pooh contributes to the thousands of visitors but it still manages to keep the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty.
And, of course, in Oxfordshire there is the World Poohsticks Championship. Seriously. One of the more quirky English competitions with it's own set of rules. Make sure you bring your own poohsticks especially if you plan on playing a game or two at the original Poohsticks Bridge in Ashdown Woods. No need to denude nearby trees....
So, if you're a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh, you need to add this to your library collection. It's gorgeous and insightful and shows the love the author has for her subject in every loving word.
2020-075
August 9, 2018
There are often stories behind stories; learning them can add a new dimension of interest to even the most familiar text. This book tells the story of the forest behind the Hundred Acre Wood. Ashdown Forest still exists, as it did when it provided A.A. Milne with settings for his imagination, and can be visited. There one may find the tree which became Pooh's House, the Gloomy Place, the place of the flood, Pooh Sticks Bridge, the Thoughtful Spot and Piglet's House. There Heffalumps and Woozles roamed. This book also tells the story of the author behind the Winnie the Pooh stories. Milne's father's love for nature and walks remained with him for life. Kathryn Aalto has an academician's interest in the intersection between culture and nature. If this text is "about" anything, it is about that: how the flora and fauna and terrain of Ashdown Forest permeates the world of Pooh. The book is well produced. It offers many quite wonderful photographs of people and places, as well as many of Ernest H. Shepherd's pen-and-ink illustrations from the books. The text would have benefited from a bit of rigorous editing. Aalto can be cutesy in her direct address to the reader; there are grammatical and typographical errors in the text. True Pooh fanatics need this book in their private library; readers with milder attachments might well borrow it from the public library.
February 5, 2017
This book has made me smile all day. It made me go out to walk to our local Pooh Sticks Bridge. How many of you have one? And the book? Kathryn Aalto's The Natural World of Winnie The Pooh.
A delightful book that is a mixture of biography of Milne and his family, and reflections on the stories and exploration of the landscape and natural world that inspired the book.
Kathryn captures Milne's intent beautifully as she takes us on a gentle walk through his life and work. Christoper Robin, Pooh and all the other characters are brought to life for us, both as if through a child's experience of them and the world and in revealing the intent behind Milne's prose and the wonderful illustrations of E.H Shepard.
The book also made me feel wistful - for those times reading the stories to the children, playing pooh sticks and for the time when children are in that space when "doing nothing" is an adventure waiting to happen.
A perfect read at any time of the year but spot on for a day like today. Having finished it, I got my coat and gloves on and walked the mile or so in the lanes behind out house to our own poohsticks bridge and... smiled.
And that is the first letter completed in my A-Z read of Devon authors. Where shall I head next?
A delightful book that is a mixture of biography of Milne and his family, and reflections on the stories and exploration of the landscape and natural world that inspired the book.
Kathryn captures Milne's intent beautifully as she takes us on a gentle walk through his life and work. Christoper Robin, Pooh and all the other characters are brought to life for us, both as if through a child's experience of them and the world and in revealing the intent behind Milne's prose and the wonderful illustrations of E.H Shepard.
The book also made me feel wistful - for those times reading the stories to the children, playing pooh sticks and for the time when children are in that space when "doing nothing" is an adventure waiting to happen.
A perfect read at any time of the year but spot on for a day like today. Having finished it, I got my coat and gloves on and walked the mile or so in the lanes behind out house to our own poohsticks bridge and... smiled.
And that is the first letter completed in my A-Z read of Devon authors. Where shall I head next?
June 5, 2017
Since Winnie the Pooh played a huge part in my childhood, I was interested in finding out more of the behind-the-scenes of the stories.
I enjoyed learning about Milne and his family, and how the stories were inspired by people in his life and the environment around him. Aalto goes into great detail of everything, so I definitely feel like I now have a comprehensive knowledge of the backstory of Winnie the Pooh.
The pictures were helpful and complemented the text well - I really got a feel for the area. In hindsight, however, the book would be more helpful to people who are planning on actually visiting these locations, rather than just reading about them. Aalto writes with the intention that the reader is experiencing these locations in person, and does so with a whimsical style which was slightly overbearing at times.
Overall, while you can really feel the passion Aalto has for the works, this could have definitely been edited down. It's only about 300 pages, but it was difficult to work through, and had extra material that could have been trimmed. It was a fine read, but I don't really feel the passion to go out and learn more about the topic, since this puts so much on the reader to take in.
I enjoyed learning about Milne and his family, and how the stories were inspired by people in his life and the environment around him. Aalto goes into great detail of everything, so I definitely feel like I now have a comprehensive knowledge of the backstory of Winnie the Pooh.
The pictures were helpful and complemented the text well - I really got a feel for the area. In hindsight, however, the book would be more helpful to people who are planning on actually visiting these locations, rather than just reading about them. Aalto writes with the intention that the reader is experiencing these locations in person, and does so with a whimsical style which was slightly overbearing at times.
Overall, while you can really feel the passion Aalto has for the works, this could have definitely been edited down. It's only about 300 pages, but it was difficult to work through, and had extra material that could have been trimmed. It was a fine read, but I don't really feel the passion to go out and learn more about the topic, since this puts so much on the reader to take in.
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