A.A. Milne was a successful playwright, but is best remembered for creating a bear.
By: Joan Ruddiman
"Reading Today" is a bi-monthly newspaper from the International Reading Association that provides information about politics, policies, practices that influence the teaching of reading around the world. The editors also share the joy of reading with book reviews and reminders of what reading means to kids.
Thanks to the editors of the recent edition of "Reading Today" for celebrating the 75th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh with a tribute to his creator.
A.A. Milne thought of himself as a serious writer and at one time was England’s most successful playwright. However, the world will remember him as the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh. The book, "Winnie-the-Pooh" was published on Oct. 14, 1926. Milne’s whimsical stories, coupled with Ernest H. Shepard’s marvelous artwork combined to make Winnie-the-Pooh one of the most recognizable character in children’s literature throughout the world. In all, more than 20 million copies of the Milne’s classic book have been sold throughout the world.
Born in 1882, Milne attended Cambridge University, where he worked on "The Granta," a humorous publication. He later worked on the staff of "Punch," a noted magazine of humor and satire.
Milne volunteered to serve in the army during World War I, and he wrote his first play during this time. After the war, he continued his work as a playwright. His first big hit was "Mr. Pim Passes By," which ran for nearly 250 performances in London in 1920. This was followed by a string of other plays.
But it was the stories and poems that Milne wrote for his young son, Christopher Robin, who was born in 1920, that cemented his fame. Milne’s first collections of verses for children, "When We Were Very Young," appeared in 1924. Several of these poems featured a rather tubby bear. This was followed by "Winnie-the-Pooh," "The House at Pooh Corner," and "Now We Are Six," another collection of verse.
Readers worldwide fell in love with Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, delighting in their simple adventures and warm friendships. After "The House at Pooh Corner" was published, Milne announced that it was the last Christopher Robin book he would ever write.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Milne continued to write plays, along with two adult novels and his autobiography. However, much to his chagrin, he found that people remained most interested in his children’s writing.
In 1940, the Milnes moved to Cotchford from London. Even in this country setting, however, they were not able to totally escape World War II. German planes flew over their home on their way to bombing runs in London, and sometimes dropped bombs nearby.
In 1952, Milne suffered a stroke, which left him an invalid until his death in 1956. Winnie-the-Pooh continued to live on, though. In 1961, Daphne Milne sold the film rights of the books to Walt Disney, and a series of animated features and films helped introduce the lovable bear to further generations of adoring youngsters. To this day, the Pooh books remain top sellers, with fans of all ages. Indeed, Winnie-the-Pooh Web sites abound on the Internet with 83 fan clubs operating through Yahoo alone. For fun, try some Milne trivia.
1. One of Milne’s early mentors was famed science fiction writer H.G. Wells.
2. Among Milne’s adult works was a detective novel entitled "The Red House Mystery," which famed mystery writer Raymond Chandler panned.
3. Christopher Robin Milne was the only child of A.A. and Daphne Milne.
4. The inspiration for the character of Winnie-the-Pooh may have come from two sources. For one, he was modeled after Christopher Robin’s stuffed bear. It is also said that the character was at least partly inspired by a bear in the London Zoo named Winnipeg, who had traveled to England with an infantry soldier form Winnipeg, Canada, during the First World War.
5. Part of the fortune from the Pooh books was given to the Royal Literary Fund, which provides funding for writers in financial distress.
Joan Ruddiman is a teacher and friend of the Allentown Public Library.