Oh, Stuff and Fluff! Winnie-the-Pooh and His Friends are Back!

Back Where?
At The New York Public Library Children's Room.

Where were they?  
Out for for a year-long conservation/refurbishment with a textile restoration expert.

Why?
To get them all spruced up! Winnie-the Pooh, aka Edward Bear,  turned 95 this year!  (In 1921, on August 21, A.A. Milne gave the teddy bear, purchased at Harrods Department Store in London, to his son, Christopher Robin, for his first birthday.)

How long have they been in New York City?
Winnie and his friends Tigger, Eyore, Kanga, and Piglet (all former well-loved toys of Christopher Robin Milne) have resided at the New York Public Library since 1987.

Who are the two little boys looking at Pooh and Friends on display?
My grandsons! In August their Mommy took them to the NYPL to make and mail birthday cards for Pooh's 95th!  And, better late than never, I'm finally posting about it here on my blog.

Can I visit Pooh?
Anyone can visit Winnie-the-Pooh and his pals. Every year thousands of children and their parents come to see them in their grand quarters in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (NYPL). Pooh and his friends are as happy as when they lived in the Hundred Acre Wood.

What if I can't visit, but I want to send Winnie-the-Pooh a card?
You can send a card online, by clicking here.

A Bear and A Boy (well, three boys...)

This Mother's day, one of my favorite gifts was from my oldest son.  He gave me a 1961 edition of Winnie-The-Pooh (originally published in 1926).  What did I say?  "I'm so surprised, I love it, and it's just what I wanted!"

Why do I treasure this book?  We spent many happy hours reading aloud the "Pooh" stories when my son (boy #1) was little. (Read more here in "Making Friends With Pooh".)  

Also, Ernest H. Shepard's illustrations are simple, yet exquisite.  They are perfectly paired to the text.

I had never read A.A. Milne's dedication until now:

TO HER

Hand in hand we come

Christopher Robin and I

To lay this book in your lap.

Say you're surprised?

Say you like it?

Say it's just what you wanted?

Because it's yours --

Because I love you.

Do you know the history of Pooh and Milne's son Christopher Robin (boy #2)?  It has to do with a swan and a London Zoo bear...you'll have to read Milne's introduction in the book - or, you can go here to read my post, "Origins of Winnie-the-Pooh" for a short explanation and some fun facts you may not have known.

There's another boy (#3) who loves this Bear...my little 19 month-old grandson.  

He is smitten with Disney's The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977).  He sings along with "Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood", and bounces like crazy to "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers".  

Thanks to the film, my young grandson has been introduced to lots of new friends:  "Pooh", "Liglet", "Eeyoore", "Ow-l", "Tid-der", "Babbit" and "Woo".

  

Even though purists my not want to thank Walt Disney for Pooh's red shirt...

I really appreciate Walt's hat-tip to the Milne books - especially the opening scene of the 100 Aker Wood, which almost perfectly matches Shepard's end papers in the books.

  

With or without the red shirt, Pooh is a family favorite!  When my grandson is a little bit older - around Piglet's age - I look forward to many happy hours reading aloud to him about Edward Bear.

But right now he's happy to settle for watching the movie and playing with his Pooh Bear in the bathtub (just like Christopher Robin).