I am sure that all of you love Winnie-the-Pooh. He and Paddington Bear must be the most loved teddy bears in the world.
Do you know who created Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends such as Christopher Robin, Tigger and Eeyore?
Let’s read about the person who created all these lovable characters.
A. A. Milne, an English author was the creator of Winnie – the -Pooh and his friends in the ‘Hundred Acre Wood’. He is best known for his Winnie -the - Pooh books and for many poems. Winnie-the- Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are perhaps his most popular books along with two books of poems Now we are six and When we were very young.
A.A. Milne’s full name is Alexander Alan Milne. He was born on January 18,1882 in Scotland but was brought up in London. He attended Westminster College, London. The famous author H.G. Wells was one of his teachers in early childhood. Later, he won a mathematics scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge.
Starting in 1906, Milne wrote for the humorous British magazine Punch. He was later appointed as an assistant editor for Punch.
Milne fought for his country in both World Wars. He joined the British Army in World War I and was a captain of the British Home Guard in World War II.
Inspiration
Milne returned home after World War 1. In 1920, his son, Christopher Robin Milne, was born. Winnie-the-Pooh’s friend, Christopher Robin is named after Milne’s son. Various characters in the Pooh books are based on Christopher Robin Milne’s stuffed animals.
The inspiration for Winnie-the- Pooh’s name is supposed to have been a Canadian black bear named Winnie (Winnipeg). This bear was a military mascot and after the war was given to the London Zoo. Ashdown Forest in Sussex, England was the inspiration for the ‘The Hundred Acre Wood’.
E. H. Shepard was the illustrator for the original Pooh books.
Poems
Milne wrote many poems, including Vespers, They're Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace, and King John's Christmas, which were published in the books When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six.
His most famous character, Winnie- the- Pooh, first appeared in the poem, Teddy Bear. This poem was published in the Punch magazine in 1924.
Milne also adapted the delightful book, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame for the stage. It was titled Toad of Toad Hall.
He wrote over 25 plays.
Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, East Sussex was Milne’s country home. He bought it in 1925.
It is interesting to note that J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan and creator of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had played cricket with A.A.Milne.
Christopher Robin. A. A, Milne’s son was bullied at school about the book series and took boxing lessons to defend himself.
In 1952, a stroke and brain surgery left Milne an invalid and he retired to his country home, Cotchford Farm.
A.A.Milne died on January 31, 1956. He was 74 years old.
After Milne died the rights to the Pooh characters were sold to the Walt Disney Company, which made a number of Pooh cartoon movies, as well as a large amount of Pooh-related merchandise.
Some of
A.A.Milne’s
works
Novels
Once on a Time, (1917)
Mr. Pim Passes By, (1921)
The Red House Mystery, (1921)
Non-Fiction
Peace with Honour, (1934)
It's Too Late Now, (1939) (autobiography)
Year In, Year Out, (1952)
Story Collections
The Day's Play, (1910)
The Holiday Round, (1912)
Gallery of Children, (1925)
Winnie the Pooh, (1926)
The House at Pooh Corner, (1928)
Poetry
When We Were Very Young, (1924)
Now We Are Six, (1927)
Behind the Lines, (1940)
Plays
Worzel-Flummery, (1917)
Belinda, (1918)
The Boy Comes Home, (1918)
Make-Believe, (1918)
Give Me Yesterday, (1923)
Ariadne, (1924)
The Man in the Bowler Hat, (1924)
The Ivory Door, (1929)
Toad of Toad Hall, (1929) (Adaptation of The Wind in the Willows)
Miss Elizabeth Bennett (based on Pride and Prejudice), (1936)
The Ugly Duckling based on the Hans Christian Andersen story, (1941)