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Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh
Before there was Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie.
In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a vet on his way to tend horses in World War 1, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, and he took her to war.
Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey - from the fields of Canada to an army base in England. . .
And finally to London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend - a boy named Christopher Robin. . .
56 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2015
102 people are currently reading
5665 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Mattick
5 books48 followersLindsay Mattick is the author of Finding Winnie, a new picture book which explores her family’s unique connection to the world’s most famous bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. Born in Winnipeg, Lindsay spent her summer days collecting lucky stones on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, finding adventures in her red wagon. As the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn, Lindsay grew up thinking of Winnie as her own ‘great-grandbear’. She has shared her family’s story as a radio documentary, spearheaded an original exhibition, and participated in Canada’s National Arts Council UK tour to commemorate WWI. After working in public relations for over a decade crafting other peoples stories, Lindsay is very excited to share one of her own. Today, she is likely still found with sand between her toes on the beaches of Toronto, her son Cole in tow, in his own Radio Flyer. Finding Winnie is Lindsay’s latest adventure and proof that dreams come true.
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February 14, 2021[Book #14 for my grad school Children's Lit class]
January 27, 2026
"A very long time ago, about a hundred years before you were born, there was a veterinarian who lived in Winnipeg. His name was Harry Colebourn."Little Cole asks his mother to tell him a story, and so she decides that tonight was the night for Cole to learn about Harry Colebourn. While Harry was a very good vet in Winnipeg, Canada but he was also needed somewhere else.
But before he leaves the country, he stumbled upon an old man with a bear cub. After thinking on it for a long time, Harry offers to buy the bear from the old man.
"There was a war far, far away - beyond the end of the country and on the other side of the ocean - and he was going to help. He would be caring for the soldier's horses."
And so the little bear has a whirlwind adventure, ending in a very comfortable zoo and as a beloved children's cook character (are you familiar with Winnie-the-Pooh?).
"I've decided to name her Winnipeg," Harry told them, "So we'll never be far from home. Winnie for short."
This was such a neat story about the origins of Winnie the Pooh.
I had known that Christopher Robin was a real character and the other animals were based on his childhood toys...but I didn't realize Winnie was also based on a real bear.
It was a lot of fun to watch Winnie become friends with the other soldiers and act as mascot for the Canadian troop. The hijinks were hilarious and it was so sweet to see all the soldier dote on her.
And when she grew too large to be kept as a pet for the troop, she was rehomed to the London Zoo, where A.A. Milne was able to visit this famous bear. Winnie was known for being so gentle that she could be hand-fed and interacted with regularly.
I think my favorite part about this book was that it was written by the great-granddaughter of Harry Colebourn and she framed it as a bedtime story for her son (Cole, named after Colebourn). Such an incredible bit of family history!
December 14, 2016
5ish stars.
I didn't think there would be any topping the other Caldecott honor true story of Winnie-The-Pooh picture book released in the same year and covering basically identical content (Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh). Kind of funny how that happened, huh? They both feature incredibly gorgeous artwork. Of the two it was ultimately Blackall's neat, clean, highly detailed illustrations that won out and earned the Caldecott medal for this book.
Without doubt, the story presented here is superior, in part because of the sentimental factor of its being written by the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn, the man who adopted the real Winnipeg "Winnie" the bear in 1914. It's also much more appropriate for the intended audience. While Sally M. Walker's book is informative, it reads more like a history lesson, whereas this book, despite being longer, reads more like a children's story (it's written as if Mattick herself is telling the story of Winnie to her own real-life son, Cole, named after Captain Colebourn).
Complete with pages from Colebourn's own diary marking the day he bought Winnie, this is deserving of the Caldecott and definitely worth a read (if not a purchase!).
Illustrations: 5
Story: 4.5
I didn't think there would be any topping the other Caldecott honor true story of Winnie-The-Pooh picture book released in the same year and covering basically identical content (Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh). Kind of funny how that happened, huh? They both feature incredibly gorgeous artwork. Of the two it was ultimately Blackall's neat, clean, highly detailed illustrations that won out and earned the Caldecott medal for this book.
Without doubt, the story presented here is superior, in part because of the sentimental factor of its being written by the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn, the man who adopted the real Winnipeg "Winnie" the bear in 1914. It's also much more appropriate for the intended audience. While Sally M. Walker's book is informative, it reads more like a history lesson, whereas this book, despite being longer, reads more like a children's story (it's written as if Mattick herself is telling the story of Winnie to her own real-life son, Cole, named after Captain Colebourn).
Complete with pages from Colebourn's own diary marking the day he bought Winnie, this is deserving of the Caldecott and definitely worth a read (if not a purchase!).
Illustrations: 5
Story: 4.5
January 3, 2018
You learn about the history of Winnie and this is a great story. I love the pictures at the end of the book about everything that happened. A picture of Harry, his journal the day he bought Winnie, Pictures of Winnie in the army, and pictures of Winnie in the Zoo with Christopher Robin. This is the history of the famous bear. I didn't think there was a real bear and sure enough, there is. Well, the author, Lindsay, it he granddaughter of Harry so she is also part of this story. It is a fantastic story.
The art is warm and Lindsay is a natural storyteller. I love this book and the kids do too.
The art is warm and Lindsay is a natural storyteller. I love this book and the kids do too.
May 9, 2015
What is it with bears and WWI? Aw, heck. Let’s expand that question a tad. What is it with adorable animals and WWI? Seems these days no matter where you turn you find a new book commemorating a noble creature’s splendor and sacrifice on the battlefields of Europe. If it’s not Midnight, A True Story of Loyalty in World War I by Mark Greenwood or Stubby, the War Dog by Ann Bausum, it’s Voytek, the Polish munitions bear in Soldier Bear or, best known of them all, the inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh. With the anniversary of WWI here, the children’s literary sphere has witnessed not one but two picture book biographies of Winnie, the real bear that inspired Christopher Robin Milne and, in turn, his father A.A. Milne. The first of these books was Winnie: The True Story of the Bear That Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker. A good strong book, no bones about it. But Finding Winnie has an advantage over the Walker bio that cannot be denied. One book was researched and thought through carefully. The other? Written by one of the descendants of the veterinarian that started it all. Add in the luminous artwork of Sophie Blackall and you’ve got yourself a historical winner on your hands.
Now put yourself in Harry’s shoes. You’re suited up. You’re on a train. You’re headed to training for the Western Front where you’ll be a service vet, aiding the horses there. The last thing you should do is buy a baby bear cub at a train station, right? I suppose that was the crazy thing about Harry, though. As a vet he had the skills and the knowledge to make his plan work. And as for the bear, she was named Winnipeg (or just Winnie for short), and she instantly charmed Harry’s commanding officer and all his fellow soldiers. During training she was great for morale, and before you knew it she was off with the troop overseas. But with the threat of real combat looming, Harry had a difficult decision to make. This little bear wasn’t suited for the true horrors of war. Instead, he dropped her off at The London Zoo where she proceeded to charm adults and children alike. That was where she made the acquaintance of Christopher Robin Milne and inspired the name of the world’s most famous stuffed animal. Framed within the context of author Lindsay Mattick telling this story to her son Cole, Ms. Mattick deftly weaves a family story in with a tale some might know but few quite like this.
Right from the start I was intrigued by the book’s framing sequence. Here we have a bit of nonfiction for kids, and yet all throughout the book we’re hearing Cole interjecting his comments as his mother tells him this story. It’s a unique way of presenting what is already an interesting narrative in a particularly child-friendly manner. But why do it at all? What I kept coming back to as I read the book was how much it made the story feel like A.A. Milne’s. Anyone who has attempted to read the first Winnie-the-Pooh book to their small children will perhaps be a bit surprised by the extent to which Christopher Robin’s voice keeps popping up, adding his own color commentary to the proceedings. Cole’s voice does much the same thing, and once I realized that Mattick was playing off of Milne’s classic, other Winnie-the-Pooh callbacks caught my eye. There’s the Colonel’s surprised “Hallo” when he first meets Winnie, which struck me as a particularly Pooh-like thing to say. There are the comments between Harry’s heart and head which reminded me anyway, of Pooh’s conversations with his stomach. They are not what I would call overt callbacks but rather like subtle little points of reference for folks who are already fans.
I was struck my Mattick’s attention to accuracy and detail too. The temptation in these sorts of books is to fill them up with fake dialogue. One might well imagine that the conversation with Cole is based on actual conversations, possibly culled together from a variety of different accounts. Since Mattick isn’t saying this-happened-like-this-on-precisely-this-date we can enjoy it for what it is. As for Harry’s tale, you only occasionally get a peek into his brain and when you do it’s in his own words, clearly taken from written accounts. Mattick does not divulge these accounts, sadly, so there’s nothing in the back of the book so useful as a Bibliography. However, that aside, the book rings true. So much so that it almost makes me doubt other accounts I’ve read.
As for the text itself, I was mildly surprised by how good the writing was. Mattick makes some choices that protect the young readers while keeping the text accurate. For example, when little Cole asks what trappers, like the one who killed Winnie’s mother, do, Lindsay’s answer is to say, “It’s what trappers don’t do. They don’t raise bears.” Hence, Harry had to buy it. She also has a nice little technique, which I alluded to earlier, where Harry’s heart and mind are at odds. The heart allows him to buy Winnie and take her overseas. The mind wins in terms of taking her to The London Zoo in the end.
I like to put myself in the place of the editor of this book. The manuscript has come in. I like it. I want to publish it. I get the thumbs up from my publisher to go ahead and then comes the part where I find an illustrator for it. I want somebody who can emote. Someone just as adept at furry baby bear cubs as they are soldiers in khaki with teeny tiny glasses. But maybe I want something more. Maybe I want an illustrator who puts in the rudimentary details, then adds their own distinctive style to the mix. I’m willing to get an artist who could potentially overshadow the narrative with visual beauty. In short, I want a Sophie Blackall.
Now I’ve heard Ms. Blackall speak on a couple occasions about the meticulous research she conducted for this book. The Canadian flag she initially mistakenly placed on a ship of war has been amended from an earlier draft (the Canadian flag wasn't officially adopted until 1965). She researched The London Zoo for an aerial shot that includes everything from the squirrel enclosure to Winnie’s small block of concrete or stone. Blackall also includes little visual details that reward multiple readings. A scene where Harry departs on the train, surrounded by people saying goodbye, is contrasted by a later scene where he returns and far fewer people are saying hello to their loved ones. One soldier has lost a leg. Another greets his much larger son and perpetually handkerchief clutching wife. Another doesn’t appear at all. And finally, Blackall throws in beautiful two-page spreads for the sake of beauty alone. The initial endpapers show an idyllic woodland scene, presumably in Canada. Later we’ve this red sky scene of the ship proceeding across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. For a book about WWI, that red is the closest we come (aside from the aforementioned missing leg) to an allusion to the bloody conflict happening elsewhere. It’s beautiful and frightening all at once.
In the world of children’s literature you never get a single book on the subject and then say, “There! Done! We don’t need any more!” It doesn’t matter how great a book is, there’s always room for another. And it seems to me that on the topic of Winnie the bear, friend of Christopher Robin, inspiration to a platoon, there is plenty of wiggle room. Hers is a near obscure tale that is rapidly becoming better and better known each day. I think that this pairs magnificently with Walker’s Winnie For bear enthusiasts, Winnie enthusiasts, history lovers, and just plain old folks who like a good story. In short, for silly old bears.
Ages 4-6.
Now put yourself in Harry’s shoes. You’re suited up. You’re on a train. You’re headed to training for the Western Front where you’ll be a service vet, aiding the horses there. The last thing you should do is buy a baby bear cub at a train station, right? I suppose that was the crazy thing about Harry, though. As a vet he had the skills and the knowledge to make his plan work. And as for the bear, she was named Winnipeg (or just Winnie for short), and she instantly charmed Harry’s commanding officer and all his fellow soldiers. During training she was great for morale, and before you knew it she was off with the troop overseas. But with the threat of real combat looming, Harry had a difficult decision to make. This little bear wasn’t suited for the true horrors of war. Instead, he dropped her off at The London Zoo where she proceeded to charm adults and children alike. That was where she made the acquaintance of Christopher Robin Milne and inspired the name of the world’s most famous stuffed animal. Framed within the context of author Lindsay Mattick telling this story to her son Cole, Ms. Mattick deftly weaves a family story in with a tale some might know but few quite like this.
Right from the start I was intrigued by the book’s framing sequence. Here we have a bit of nonfiction for kids, and yet all throughout the book we’re hearing Cole interjecting his comments as his mother tells him this story. It’s a unique way of presenting what is already an interesting narrative in a particularly child-friendly manner. But why do it at all? What I kept coming back to as I read the book was how much it made the story feel like A.A. Milne’s. Anyone who has attempted to read the first Winnie-the-Pooh book to their small children will perhaps be a bit surprised by the extent to which Christopher Robin’s voice keeps popping up, adding his own color commentary to the proceedings. Cole’s voice does much the same thing, and once I realized that Mattick was playing off of Milne’s classic, other Winnie-the-Pooh callbacks caught my eye. There’s the Colonel’s surprised “Hallo” when he first meets Winnie, which struck me as a particularly Pooh-like thing to say. There are the comments between Harry’s heart and head which reminded me anyway, of Pooh’s conversations with his stomach. They are not what I would call overt callbacks but rather like subtle little points of reference for folks who are already fans.
I was struck my Mattick’s attention to accuracy and detail too. The temptation in these sorts of books is to fill them up with fake dialogue. One might well imagine that the conversation with Cole is based on actual conversations, possibly culled together from a variety of different accounts. Since Mattick isn’t saying this-happened-like-this-on-precisely-this-date we can enjoy it for what it is. As for Harry’s tale, you only occasionally get a peek into his brain and when you do it’s in his own words, clearly taken from written accounts. Mattick does not divulge these accounts, sadly, so there’s nothing in the back of the book so useful as a Bibliography. However, that aside, the book rings true. So much so that it almost makes me doubt other accounts I’ve read.
As for the text itself, I was mildly surprised by how good the writing was. Mattick makes some choices that protect the young readers while keeping the text accurate. For example, when little Cole asks what trappers, like the one who killed Winnie’s mother, do, Lindsay’s answer is to say, “It’s what trappers don’t do. They don’t raise bears.” Hence, Harry had to buy it. She also has a nice little technique, which I alluded to earlier, where Harry’s heart and mind are at odds. The heart allows him to buy Winnie and take her overseas. The mind wins in terms of taking her to The London Zoo in the end.
I like to put myself in the place of the editor of this book. The manuscript has come in. I like it. I want to publish it. I get the thumbs up from my publisher to go ahead and then comes the part where I find an illustrator for it. I want somebody who can emote. Someone just as adept at furry baby bear cubs as they are soldiers in khaki with teeny tiny glasses. But maybe I want something more. Maybe I want an illustrator who puts in the rudimentary details, then adds their own distinctive style to the mix. I’m willing to get an artist who could potentially overshadow the narrative with visual beauty. In short, I want a Sophie Blackall.
Now I’ve heard Ms. Blackall speak on a couple occasions about the meticulous research she conducted for this book. The Canadian flag she initially mistakenly placed on a ship of war has been amended from an earlier draft (the Canadian flag wasn't officially adopted until 1965). She researched The London Zoo for an aerial shot that includes everything from the squirrel enclosure to Winnie’s small block of concrete or stone. Blackall also includes little visual details that reward multiple readings. A scene where Harry departs on the train, surrounded by people saying goodbye, is contrasted by a later scene where he returns and far fewer people are saying hello to their loved ones. One soldier has lost a leg. Another greets his much larger son and perpetually handkerchief clutching wife. Another doesn’t appear at all. And finally, Blackall throws in beautiful two-page spreads for the sake of beauty alone. The initial endpapers show an idyllic woodland scene, presumably in Canada. Later we’ve this red sky scene of the ship proceeding across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. For a book about WWI, that red is the closest we come (aside from the aforementioned missing leg) to an allusion to the bloody conflict happening elsewhere. It’s beautiful and frightening all at once.
In the world of children’s literature you never get a single book on the subject and then say, “There! Done! We don’t need any more!” It doesn’t matter how great a book is, there’s always room for another. And it seems to me that on the topic of Winnie the bear, friend of Christopher Robin, inspiration to a platoon, there is plenty of wiggle room. Hers is a near obscure tale that is rapidly becoming better and better known each day. I think that this pairs magnificently with Walker’s Winnie For bear enthusiasts, Winnie enthusiasts, history lovers, and just plain old folks who like a good story. In short, for silly old bears.
Ages 4-6.
January 19, 2016
Utterly charming. I loved the story within a story, and the album at the end with real photographs of Winnie, Harry, and Christopher Robin. The art is utterly charming, and best of all, it's a story you can actually read to a small child! Too often nonfiction picture books are far too wordy and dry, and you lose the child's attention after one page. But here there was just the right balance of well-placed, age-appropriate words and pictures. Lovely book!
May 31, 2020
2016: This story is set up as a Mom telling her son a story, which we get to read as the main storyline. I really liked the stories told in here, but I found the storytelling aspect to be clunky. It was like the author wanted to write her son a picture book that pertained to him and his family and then decided to publish it for the masses, assuming they'd find the story as special as her family does. But by pointing out that this is HER family's story, the audience is never allowed to make the story their own. There will always be a gap between the reader and the story of Winnie because it's not their family heritage, which is made clear in the book. I think the book would have been stronger with that biographical element left out as, like I said, it alienates the public audience from connecting with the story. I really liked some of the illustrations in here, but then others were a bit weird. As to the story itself, it was really nice. It's the story of the bear who inspired A.A. Milne to write Winnie-the-Pooh and how he came to meet this bear, but it's not told from Milne's perspective. I really did like that part of the story!
2020: the illustrations of the humans are uncanny and off-putting. The frame narrative interrupts the story, and I found it more irritating upon rereading.
2020: the illustrations of the humans are uncanny and off-putting. The frame narrative interrupts the story, and I found it more irritating upon rereading.
March 25, 2019
The story of the real bear who inspired the name of Winnie the Pooh. The story starts with a little boy asking for a story and mum telling how a WWI soldier bought a baby bear from a trapper as a mascot for his troupe. The rest of the story switches between the historical story and the mum telling the bedtime story which ends with them looking at a photo album, in this are photos of Winnie and soldier Harry, Christopher Robin meeting the bear and diary entries for the time. The author's son who features as the child being read to is a relation of Harry.
I liked some parts of the illustrations more than others. Although I can see this isn't condoning the use of bears as pets and this was seen as acceptable at the time it did feel sad to see the poor creature deprived of it's mother get attached to a human and then sent to London zoo. I found the photo of Christopher Robin feeding the bear very sad.
I liked some parts of the illustrations more than others. Although I can see this isn't condoning the use of bears as pets and this was seen as acceptable at the time it did feel sad to see the poor creature deprived of it's mother get attached to a human and then sent to London zoo. I found the photo of Christopher Robin feeding the bear very sad.
November 17, 2020
November is always the time of year where I commemorate the World Wars. This year is weird in many ways and it affected my plans. Nevertheless, I didn’t want this month to come and go without having done at least one little thing in memory of all those fallen and those terrible years, all in one century. Thus, I read this book.
Winnie the Pooh is a name almost everyone on the planet has heard. Enchanting stories for young and old about a (toy) bear and his boy, Christopher Robin.
What not too many know is that all of the characters actually existed!
Christopher Robin was Milne’s own son for whom the stories were written. And Winnie was a bear that a Canadian regiment had as a mascot and which was left at London Zoo eventually (where a young Christopher Robin and his father met her - yes, Winnie was a female).
But I shan’t give away too much as it is a very touching and interesting story that one should explore on their own.
And best do it with this cute little book. Yes, technically it is for children but when has that ever stopped me?! Exactly.
Here is a taste of the book’s design, from the cover under the dust jacket to the album of real-life photographs and info at the very end of the book:
A powerful true story cutely illustrated - what more could I have wanted? Exactly, nothing. It was the perfect reading experience and one of the few uplifting stories of WWI that is suitable for young and old(er) readers alike.
Winnie the Pooh is a name almost everyone on the planet has heard. Enchanting stories for young and old about a (toy) bear and his boy, Christopher Robin.
What not too many know is that all of the characters actually existed!
Christopher Robin was Milne’s own son for whom the stories were written. And Winnie was a bear that a Canadian regiment had as a mascot and which was left at London Zoo eventually (where a young Christopher Robin and his father met her - yes, Winnie was a female).
But I shan’t give away too much as it is a very touching and interesting story that one should explore on their own.
And best do it with this cute little book. Yes, technically it is for children but when has that ever stopped me?! Exactly.
Here is a taste of the book’s design, from the cover under the dust jacket to the album of real-life photographs and info at the very end of the book:
A powerful true story cutely illustrated - what more could I have wanted? Exactly, nothing. It was the perfect reading experience and one of the few uplifting stories of WWI that is suitable for young and old(er) readers alike.
October 25, 2015
Absolutely glorious. Winnie the Pooh is red hot right now. This is the second bio of Pooh picture book in a year. The illustrations are detailed and brilliant. This may be Sophie Blackalls best work to date. It is definitely worthy of the Caldecott. I think the author (cool backstory there), lives in Canada which would unfortunately make the title ineligible. Sure hope I am wrong because the text and illustrations are marvelous.
September 22, 2017
This story really impressed me. I loved how the author wove three, true stories into this book. It is the true story of how Winnie-the-Pooh became the beloved story book character that we all know today. The illustrations were bright and colorful and I loved the "album" in the back of the book that showed real photos of Harry, Winnie, Christopher Robin, and the author with her baby Cole. Read it. I was so pleased with this book that I even had my husband read it. He, too, loved it. It just feels so original.
May 16, 2023
Although I do appreciate that with Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear, author Lindsay Mattick is actually telling the reader her own family's story with the framed narrative of a mother (who is clearly meant to represent herself) telling her little son Cole about his great-great-grandfather Harry Colebourne and Winnie the bear (how he saved Winnie's life as a cub and named her Winnipeg after Harry's hometown, how she became his army unit's mascot while they were training in England before being shipped off to the battlefields of WWI France, and how later in a London zoo, Winnie served as the inspiration for A.A. Milne's famous Winnie-the-Pooh), I for one have actually found the surrounding family story framework a bit distancing, distracting, even mildly annoying (and actually also somewhat interfering with my reading pleasure, as I am constantly being pulled out of the narrative, out of the main text, in order to read about Cole and his mother discussing Harry's and Winnie's story amongst themselves).
But that all being said, I am still very much enjoying the presented narrative, the story and plot lines of Finding Winnie: The True Story off the World's Most Famous Bear, and especially cherish that Lindsay Mattick has thankfully and appreciatively been a bit more willing to portray WWI as a terrible time, as a horrible scenario that in no way deserves to be feted and cheered (but as a killing machine par excellence, something that is also echoed by some of Sophie Blackall's accompanying pictures, especially the illustrative spread of a row of dejected soldiers trudging through the mud and rain, rifles up, heads down, heading to possible, if not even probable slaughter). But as to Sophie Blackall's illustrations as a whole, as an entity, well, while I can and do esteem them for their artistic merit and acumen, and have indeed even quite massively liked some of them (and especially her depictions of landscapes and buildings), personally, Sophie Blackall's human figures generally all seem to have strangely bland and pretty much expressionless collective countenances (and while I do realise that Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear won the the 2016 Caldecott Medal, the illustrations are at least in my opinion just adequate and not really worth the Caldecott Medal, as for myself, I find them rather insipid and especially the human figures all rather akin looking with regard to their faces and mannerisms).
Still, Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear is to be highly recommended and does present an engagingly evocative reading experience. And while I personally have not found Sophie Blackall's illustrations, her accompanying pictures to Lindsay Mattick's narrative completely to my aesthetic liking, they are a generally adept and competent mirror and complement of and for the author's text, and as such, a sweet marriage of text and image does indeed emerge.
But that all being said, I am still very much enjoying the presented narrative, the story and plot lines of Finding Winnie: The True Story off the World's Most Famous Bear, and especially cherish that Lindsay Mattick has thankfully and appreciatively been a bit more willing to portray WWI as a terrible time, as a horrible scenario that in no way deserves to be feted and cheered (but as a killing machine par excellence, something that is also echoed by some of Sophie Blackall's accompanying pictures, especially the illustrative spread of a row of dejected soldiers trudging through the mud and rain, rifles up, heads down, heading to possible, if not even probable slaughter). But as to Sophie Blackall's illustrations as a whole, as an entity, well, while I can and do esteem them for their artistic merit and acumen, and have indeed even quite massively liked some of them (and especially her depictions of landscapes and buildings), personally, Sophie Blackall's human figures generally all seem to have strangely bland and pretty much expressionless collective countenances (and while I do realise that Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear won the the 2016 Caldecott Medal, the illustrations are at least in my opinion just adequate and not really worth the Caldecott Medal, as for myself, I find them rather insipid and especially the human figures all rather akin looking with regard to their faces and mannerisms).
Still, Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear is to be highly recommended and does present an engagingly evocative reading experience. And while I personally have not found Sophie Blackall's illustrations, her accompanying pictures to Lindsay Mattick's narrative completely to my aesthetic liking, they are a generally adept and competent mirror and complement of and for the author's text, and as such, a sweet marriage of text and image does indeed emerge.
November 21, 2017
I was very hesitant to read Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear because I'm such a huge fan of Milne's stories and I was afraid that knowing the true story would somehow ruin them especially with the WWI aspect. I'm delighted to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how gentle, sweet, and warmhearted the telling of the real Winnie's story is here and I appreciate the sensitivity with which the author portrayed the soldiers and their experience (we never see Harry in the war, so the book won't be upsetting to young children, but older readers with more knowledge will certainly understand the trepidation behind Harry's departures). I wasn't sure if the telling-the-story-to-a-little-boy (with all the little asides) aspect was too forced a nod to the Pooh books, but I decided to enjoy it. Ilove the message of kindness, and of that kindness extending to animals, even/especially in a time of war. And while I do feel sad about animals being in zoos, I realize that, in the time and circumstances, it really was the best place for Winnie and I'm so glad that she was able to inspire Christopher and his famous father to create Winnie-the-Pooh! As far as winning the Caldecott, I admit I don't really see where the illustrations are particularly outstanding although I did enjoy them--especially the one where Winnie and Harry are zooming off across the Salisbury plain! I thought the family "Album" at the back was really charming especially given that it's written by one of the real Harry's descendants.
September 29, 2017
My daughter brought this cute book home from the school library. It was fun to read with my family and watch my daughters have some "aha" moments connecting the stories being shared in this book to the story of Winnie-the-Pooh. We all enjoyed the artwork and how it connected with pictures from a family photo album at the end.
A really neat story telling us about the real Winnie-the-Pooh and how she came to help inspire the creation of the beloved and well loved books of A.A. Milne.
We especially loved the family tree shown at the end and the photo album showing pictures of the real characters and bear.
If you're looking for a great children's story to share with any age I highly recommend this one! You never know what event or events and people you meet with will interconnect and be an influence for something amazing!
Happy Reading!!!
A really neat story telling us about the real Winnie-the-Pooh and how she came to help inspire the creation of the beloved and well loved books of A.A. Milne.
We especially loved the family tree shown at the end and the photo album showing pictures of the real characters and bear.
If you're looking for a great children's story to share with any age I highly recommend this one! You never know what event or events and people you meet with will interconnect and be an influence for something amazing!
Happy Reading!!!
August 24, 2015
This book. That bear. Quotable, full of love and history, and a feat of story within story.
July 1, 2023
A mother tells her son a bedtime story about the real bear that traveled from Canada to England during World War I and became an inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh. It's a nice version of the story and has a little twist at the end that adds an extra dimension to the story and the book itself.
FYI:
Lindsay Mattick expanded the story of this picture book into a chapter book called Winnie's Great War in 2018. The same year this picture book came out, there was a competing picture book called Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker and illustrator Jonathan D. Voss.
(Pooh Project: Phase 2! I've managed to catalog all the shorter Pooh projects my family owns (see the list here). While I work through few remaining longer Pooh books we own, I'm missing my daily dose of Pooh, so I'm going to start seeking out some of the Pooh books I don't own – yet – from libraries IRL and online. See the reviews here.)
FYI:
Lindsay Mattick expanded the story of this picture book into a chapter book called Winnie's Great War in 2018. The same year this picture book came out, there was a competing picture book called Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker and illustrator Jonathan D. Voss.
(Pooh Project: Phase 2! I've managed to catalog all the shorter Pooh projects my family owns (see the list here). While I work through few remaining longer Pooh books we own, I'm missing my daily dose of Pooh, so I'm going to start seeking out some of the Pooh books I don't own – yet – from libraries IRL and online. See the reviews here.)
September 11, 2016
Magical, kind,gentle; perfect potion for your soul. Take note of the little b&w sketches in the low corners, they speak beyond words.
Read
July 1, 2015So much to love about Finding Winnie. I read this gem with my 9 year old son. He had so many questions and loved that it was based on a true story.
February 9, 2016
What a lovely book. Will work for children, but for also anyone of any age who has fond memories of Winnie-the-Pooh. I had no inkling of the story behind the iconic tales from A.A. Milne, but this lovely picture book gave me a richer sense of the reality behind the books that were such a part of my mother's childhood, my childhood, and my daughter's. It's so wonderful I'm planning on giving a copy to my 91-year old mother-in-law who not only is British by birth, but spent many years in Canada. My husband tells me that family lore says his father was at Cambridge with Christopher Robin. For these reasons I hope it will be a wonderful touchstone for her as well.
January 20, 2020
Upon reflection, I wish I had read Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear without knowing the Winnie-the-Pooh connection ahead of time. I might have guessed from the title, but not necessarily, and the story would have felt more emotional if it had hit me as a surprise. As well-known as the book became in the year after its release, though, preserving that degree of secrecy was unlikely. Finding Winnie was awarded the 2016 Caldecott Medal, and in my opinion it's one of the more deserving books to win. This is the story of a human family and an orphaned bear cub who found lasting significance in each other, a legacy that would enrich the world's children for many generations. One simple action today can carry on and on into the future.
When the author's young son, Cole, asks to be told a true story about a bear, she has just the one to tell from their own family history. Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian, left his practice in Winnipeg caring for horses when his services were needed in World War I. At a train station on the way to base camp, Harry saw a bear cub with a trapper, and bought the bear out of a sense of compassion. He named it Winnie, to remind him and the soldiers of home. Full of humor and life, Winnie was beloved at camp, but especially by Harry. Then the time came to enter the combat zone, and Harry made the tough decision to leave Winnie at the London Zoo. They would miss each other, but Winnie had a loving home there with other animals and doting caretakers.
Winnie found fame when a young visitor named Christopher Robin Milne stopped by. Bear and boy became fast friends, and Christopher Robin was allowed to play with her often. Their affectionate relationship turned into the story idea for a boy and his stuffed bear of very little brain, "Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood." Harry Colebourn was content knowing that Winnie was happy, and Christopher Robin's childhood dreams were immortalized for all to enjoy. The Colebourn family passed the tale of their part in the legend down to a boy named Cole and his mother, who bequeathed another beloved book to children's literature. Winnie had found a way to keep on giving joy, almost a hundred years after her life.
Harry couldn't have known if he was doing the right thing leaving Winnie at the London Zoo. Would she be okay without him? Today we look back and see how beautifully it turned out. Harry's friendship with Winnie ended when they parted ways that day, but the best of the story was still to come, and the author of this book impresses that upon her son Cole. "Sometimes...you have to let one story end so the next one can begin." "How do you know when that will happen?" Cole asks. "You don't," his mother answers. "Which is why you should always carry on." Live your story believing that though you might not see how it could possibly peak yet ahead, it's not your job to know. Just keep moving forward into the next chapter. Life's great moments tend to be ones you stumble into without much advance notice.
Finding Winnie is a worthy Caldecott recipient, especially for Sophie Blackall's artwork. The soaring perspective of some of her drawings is incredible: Harry Colebourn's train rounding the forested bend; the two-page landscape of Harry driving Winnie over the hills to the zoo; the overhead panorama of the zoo's exhibits. I wouldn't have chosen Finding Winnie for the Caldecott Medal over Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña (illustrated by Christian Robinson) or Waiting by Kevin Henkes, both of which earned Caldecott Honors, but I can't complain about this book winning. Sophie Blackall and author Lindsay Mattick do themselves proud, and I give Finding Winnie a solid two and a half stars. I could almost be persuaded to round that up instead of down. You'll enjoy going on this book's journey. I know I did.
When the author's young son, Cole, asks to be told a true story about a bear, she has just the one to tell from their own family history. Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian, left his practice in Winnipeg caring for horses when his services were needed in World War I. At a train station on the way to base camp, Harry saw a bear cub with a trapper, and bought the bear out of a sense of compassion. He named it Winnie, to remind him and the soldiers of home. Full of humor and life, Winnie was beloved at camp, but especially by Harry. Then the time came to enter the combat zone, and Harry made the tough decision to leave Winnie at the London Zoo. They would miss each other, but Winnie had a loving home there with other animals and doting caretakers.
Winnie found fame when a young visitor named Christopher Robin Milne stopped by. Bear and boy became fast friends, and Christopher Robin was allowed to play with her often. Their affectionate relationship turned into the story idea for a boy and his stuffed bear of very little brain, "Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood." Harry Colebourn was content knowing that Winnie was happy, and Christopher Robin's childhood dreams were immortalized for all to enjoy. The Colebourn family passed the tale of their part in the legend down to a boy named Cole and his mother, who bequeathed another beloved book to children's literature. Winnie had found a way to keep on giving joy, almost a hundred years after her life.
Harry couldn't have known if he was doing the right thing leaving Winnie at the London Zoo. Would she be okay without him? Today we look back and see how beautifully it turned out. Harry's friendship with Winnie ended when they parted ways that day, but the best of the story was still to come, and the author of this book impresses that upon her son Cole. "Sometimes...you have to let one story end so the next one can begin." "How do you know when that will happen?" Cole asks. "You don't," his mother answers. "Which is why you should always carry on." Live your story believing that though you might not see how it could possibly peak yet ahead, it's not your job to know. Just keep moving forward into the next chapter. Life's great moments tend to be ones you stumble into without much advance notice.
Finding Winnie is a worthy Caldecott recipient, especially for Sophie Blackall's artwork. The soaring perspective of some of her drawings is incredible: Harry Colebourn's train rounding the forested bend; the two-page landscape of Harry driving Winnie over the hills to the zoo; the overhead panorama of the zoo's exhibits. I wouldn't have chosen Finding Winnie for the Caldecott Medal over Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña (illustrated by Christian Robinson) or Waiting by Kevin Henkes, both of which earned Caldecott Honors, but I can't complain about this book winning. Sophie Blackall and author Lindsay Mattick do themselves proud, and I give Finding Winnie a solid two and a half stars. I could almost be persuaded to round that up instead of down. You'll enjoy going on this book's journey. I know I did.
December 28, 2019
A young mother, appealed to for a bedtime story, tells the tale of Harry Coleburn, a Canadian veterinarian who adopts an orphaned young bear cub on his way to serve in World War I. Named Winnie, in honor of Coleburn's hometown of Winnipeg, the cub soon becomes a beloved mascot for the entire regiment, settling admirably into military life, and lifting the spirits of all the men. Traveling with them across the sea to England, Winnie continues to grow. When Harry Coleburn discovers that he is soon to be sent to the front, he finds a home for Winnie at the London Zoo, where she will be safe. It is here that she is befriended by a young boy named Christopher Robin, who named his own stuffed bear Winnie-the-Pooh in her honor...
Awarded the Caldecott Medal last month, Finding Winnie is a lovely book, one that features both beautiful artwork and an engaging tale. Sophie Blackall captures her ursine heroine's appeal, depicting her charming expressions in many scenes. Her contentment, when sucking at a bottle, her affection, when looking at Coleburn, are all ably conveyed. My favorite scene, visually speaking, was the one in which Winnie and Coleburn rub foreheads in a poignant and loving moment, shortly before they are parted. A beautiful book, visually speaking, this is a book that is just as engaging textually. I liked the dual-narrative, in which the mother - author Lindsay Mattick, herself Harry Coleburn's great-granddaughter - tells the story to her young son, and thought his occasional interjections moved the story along, rather than interrupted it. I also found the text beautiful in its own right. Highly recommended to anyone looking for engaging tales of people and their animal friends, who are interested in the origins of Winnie-the-Pooh, or who admire Sophie Blackall's artwork.
Awarded the Caldecott Medal last month, Finding Winnie is a lovely book, one that features both beautiful artwork and an engaging tale. Sophie Blackall captures her ursine heroine's appeal, depicting her charming expressions in many scenes. Her contentment, when sucking at a bottle, her affection, when looking at Coleburn, are all ably conveyed. My favorite scene, visually speaking, was the one in which Winnie and Coleburn rub foreheads in a poignant and loving moment, shortly before they are parted. A beautiful book, visually speaking, this is a book that is just as engaging textually. I liked the dual-narrative, in which the mother - author Lindsay Mattick, herself Harry Coleburn's great-granddaughter - tells the story to her young son, and thought his occasional interjections moved the story along, rather than interrupted it. I also found the text beautiful in its own right. Highly recommended to anyone looking for engaging tales of people and their animal friends, who are interested in the origins of Winnie-the-Pooh, or who admire Sophie Blackall's artwork.
July 3, 2016
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the
World's Most Famous Bear
by Lindsay Mattick, Sophie Blackall
Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie.
In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.
Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey--from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England...
And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin.
Here is the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.
This is a charming heart warming story, children and adults alike will love.
4 stars.
World's Most Famous Bear
by Lindsay Mattick, Sophie Blackall
Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie.
In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.
Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey--from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England...
And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin.
Here is the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.
This is a charming heart warming story, children and adults alike will love.
4 stars.
January 10, 2018
One of the most charming, beautiful, wonderful picture books I've ever had the privilege of reading. I'm highly interested in Winnie for three reasons:
1) I'm Canadian.
2) I quite like the movie 'A Bear Named Winnie'
3) My family's nickname for my youngest brother is 'Winnie the Pooh' and we buy him lots of the Disney version merch, but it's good to have IRL stuff lying around the house as well.
Entrancingly written, with lovely illustrations, plenty of heart (I teared up!), and awesome photos at the back. *all the heart-eyed emojis*
1) I'm Canadian.
2) I quite like the movie 'A Bear Named Winnie'
3) My family's nickname for my youngest brother is 'Winnie the Pooh' and we buy him lots of the Disney version merch, but it's good to have IRL stuff lying around the house as well.
Entrancingly written, with lovely illustrations, plenty of heart (I teared up!), and awesome photos at the back. *all the heart-eyed emojis*
May 5, 2019
Beautifully detailed illustrations accompany the admittedly sentimental story of how the bear, who inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, was found at a train station by Captain Harry Colebourn in Ontario, on his way to Europe because of WWI.
I hadn't realized the author had a personal connection to the material till close to the end of the book, when she says she's the great granddaughter of Colebourn. There were some really neat diary entries from Harry Colebourn, and photos of the bear. The history is told in clear prose, and the author's connection made the book that much more meaningful.
I hadn't realized the author had a personal connection to the material till close to the end of the book, when she says she's the great granddaughter of Colebourn. There were some really neat diary entries from Harry Colebourn, and photos of the bear. The history is told in clear prose, and the author's connection made the book that much more meaningful.
February 11, 2016
Wow! Really good!
March 17, 2021
The real story of Winnie the Pooh!
November 7, 2015
The true story of the Black Bear that inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.
Veterinarian Harry Colebourn purchased the bear cub for $20 off a trapper while he was in route to serve in World War I. He named the Bear Winnipeg, Winnie for short, and she soon became the mascot of his regiment. When she grew too large to travel with the soldiers, Harry helped Winnie find a new home at the London Zoo where she would soon meet a young Christopher Robin and inspire a whole series of books.
The story is written as a true bedtime tale the author is telling her son. By the end of the story, the author reveals her connection to the story she is telling and her son's place in it as well. An album of pictures and documents follows the story making the whole experience of reading this book feel like eavesdropping on a favorite family story complete with memorabilia from the attic.
Highly recommended for sharing with PreK-2+.
Veterinarian Harry Colebourn purchased the bear cub for $20 off a trapper while he was in route to serve in World War I. He named the Bear Winnipeg, Winnie for short, and she soon became the mascot of his regiment. When she grew too large to travel with the soldiers, Harry helped Winnie find a new home at the London Zoo where she would soon meet a young Christopher Robin and inspire a whole series of books.
The story is written as a true bedtime tale the author is telling her son. By the end of the story, the author reveals her connection to the story she is telling and her son's place in it as well. An album of pictures and documents follows the story making the whole experience of reading this book feel like eavesdropping on a favorite family story complete with memorabilia from the attic.
Highly recommended for sharing with PreK-2+.
March 5, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
We had no idea this was the real life story of Winnie-The-Pooh! Who knew this was a real bear once, with a real life story, orphaned even. Winnie, named after Winnipeg, the place, was adopted at a train station. . .and was swooped off to war with a vet.
Photographs and everything. Including the real Christopher Himself Robin! Amazing. We loved this book, 5 stars!
We had no idea this was the real life story of Winnie-The-Pooh! Who knew this was a real bear once, with a real life story, orphaned even. Winnie, named after Winnipeg, the place, was adopted at a train station. . .and was swooped off to war with a vet.
Photographs and everything. Including the real Christopher Himself Robin! Amazing. We loved this book, 5 stars!
November 12, 2015
A sweet, sentimental and true story of the real bear who inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh character. The story within a story worked surprisingly well to move the plot along and to bridge the nonfiction real bear with the fictional character. Loved the "Album" at the end with all the real photos. Also, I cried.
December 22, 2020
Based on a true story, A moving and beautiful story of a rescued infant bear during WW1 and how it would be an inspiration to others. Winnie’s journey is endearing with a warm fuzzy feeling. A (100%/Outstanding)
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