As a student teacher, I remember sitting in a classroom while the teacher was reading Winnie-the-Pooh to the children, who sat quietly listening.
The adults in the room were convulsed with laughter, such is the humour and wisdom of the book. This year, the theme of Repertory Theatre’s float in the Whanganui Heritage Weekend parade will be “The One Hundred Acre Wood”, so you will see Pooh Bear and his friends Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger, Kanga, Roo and other inhabitants of the famous forest.
A little research reveals that the first Pooh Bear story appeared in London’s Evening News on Christmas Eve in 1925. In 1926, a collection of the stories was published as Winnie-the-Pooh, followed by a second collection, in 1928, entitled The House At Pooh Corner.
Winnie-the-Pooh still has enormous appeal for children and adults alike. Despite being called “a bear of little brain”, Pooh is often wise and kind. When he’s not being wise he does silly things like using balloons to float up to the bees’ nest to try and steal their honey – and, of course, that couldn’t end well.
He’s quite human in that sense – he has his faults. Never mind! I’m sure Pooh and his friends will have a truckload of fun in the One Hundred Acre Wood on Heritage Weekend. Don’t miss it!
