Starred review from February 1, 2017
Gr 2-5-As Winnie-the-Pooh turns 90 years old, four respected children's authors have imagined entertaining new adventures for the iconic bear and his friends. Echoing the voice of A.A. Milne and illustrated in the style of E.H. Shepard, this new volume invites readers to "join Winnie-the-Pooh for a year of adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood." In autumn, Pooh and Piglet fear a "mithickle" dragon is about to invade the forest. The chronicle continues into winter, when a shy and proper penguin who needs "Bringing Out of Himself" visits. In spring, Eeyore worries that "Another Donkey" has come to steal his thistles. Finally, Pooh and Piglet go in search of "the Sauce" of the river that runs through the Wood in summer. With the assistance of Christopher Robin and his animal friends, Pooh optimistically stumps through the forest seeking a solution to each tale's dilemma. The changing seasons are captured in idyllic, sunlit illustrations sprinkled throughout the text. Beginning with the eye-catching endpapers, Burgess deftly portrays life in the Hundred Acre Wood and the friendship enjoyed by Pooh, Piglet, and all the other familiar characters. The evocative visuals perfectly complement the gentle and amusing narrative. In an engaging afterword, Bright, Sibley, Willis, Saunders, and Burgess reflect on their childhood memories of the "Bear of Little Brain."
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2017
Also written by Kate Saunders. With decorations by Mark Burgess in the style of E. H. Shepard. The authors pay homage to Milne and his characters for the ninetieth anniversary of the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh. Four seasonal stories ably re-create the feeling of the original books, and Burgess does an admirable job of picturing Christopher Robin, Pooh, and the rest. Fans who want more Pooh adventures will be pleased (though purists may not).
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)