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About Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends
Winnie-the-Pooh
A small, golden bear. Edward Bear, known to his friends as Winnie-the-Pooh, or Pooh for short. If you ask him a riddle, he may reply, “Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.”
Especially fond of singing hums while walking through the Hundred Acre Wood; keeping Company with Christopher Robin, Piglet, and the others; and, of course, little smackerels to eat. Pooh is at the center of many exciting adventures, including a Hunt for Woozles, rescuing Piglet from the Terrible Flood, the plan to Capture Baby Roo, an Expotition to the North Pole, and the Search for Small, to name just a few. Despite being a Bear of Little Brain, Pooh always comes out on top!
“Pooh, a Bear with a Pleasing Manner but a Positively Startling Lack of Brain . . .”
Piglet
A Very Small Animal. In spite of his small size, Piglet is quite gallant. He confronts Heffalumps, Woozles, Wizzles, Jagulars, and an assortment of Fierce Animals head-on-hesitating only just a little bit (as a Very Small Animal must). Considerate and resilient, Piglet helps build Eeyore a new house and survives Terrible Floods, Blusterous Days, Falling Houses, and Climbing Out of Owl’s Letterbox. Piglet also enjoys haycorns and blowing dandelions.
“Piglet sighed with happiness and began to think about himself. He was BRAVE . . .”
Eeyore
The Old Grey Donkey. Though often gloomy and solitary, Eeyore’s nature is kind and generous. Friendship, fellowship, and the Proper Exchange of Thought are essential, as is philosophizing about the weather. Eeyore offers a very hungry Tigger his favorite patch of thistles to eat for breakfast, and later shows great aplomb when Tigger bounces him into a stream. Sensitive and stoic, Eeyore effectively deals with losing his tail (which Pooh finds at Owl’s House) and having
his friends forget his birthday (not for long).
“After all, one can’t complain. I have my friends. Somebody spoke to me only yesterday . . .”
Tigger
A stripy, bouncy animal. Saying “Worraworraworraworraworra” and making other loud noises are only some of the things that Tiggers do best. Ask him and he’ll say that he swims, jumps, flies, and climbs trees better than anyone-but one thing is for sure, Tigger is a master at bouncing. Described as Friendly, Grand, Large, and Helpful, Tigger loves Extract of Malt (not thistles or honey, as first thought). Although his boundless energy can sometimes get him in trouble, Tigger’s good
cheer and enthusiasm for everything more than make up for not always looking before leaping.
“Tigger said it was difficult to explain to anybody who wasn’t a Tigger himself . . .”
Rabbit
A Very Important Animal. With so many friends and relations to look after, Rabbit’s days are busy indeed! But Rabbit is an expert at Organization (and Thinking and Spelling, too) and always finds time to visit-or devise a Plan. Full of Grand Ideas, Rabbit is the Brains behind the Search for Small, the plans become a little-or very-complicated, Rabbit’s clever mind can be depended on to make everything right again.
“Rabbit’s clever . . . and he has a Brain. I suppose that’s why he never understands anything . . .”
Owl
A Wise and Thoughtful Animal. Owl’s superior intelligence is known throughout the Hundred Acre Wood, as are his
talents for writing, spelling, and other educated and special tasks. With plenty of Interesting Anecdotes and advice to
impart, Owl spends considerable time speaking eloquently to Pooh, Piglet, and the others. Owl’s home at The Chestnuts
is grander than everyone else’s-equipped with both a knocker and a bell-pull! But Brains and a charming, old-world
residence never inhibit Owl from being a dignified and wise resident of the Forest, and a friend to all.
“And if anyone knows anything about anything, it’s Owl who knows something about something . . .”
Kanga
A kangaroo, mother of Roo. Kanga is a doting and thoughtful mother, routinely found carrying Roo around in her pouch.
She displays many maternal attributes, such as: wanting to Count Things, making sure that there are enough watercress
sandwiches to go round, telling you what to do, giving baths, and knowing how to play a joke. Not only is she the fastest
animal in the Hundred Acre Wood, but she is also one of the most generous-acting as a surrogate mother to Tigger, who
needs as much kindness as her own baby, Roo.
“Now it happened that Kanga had felt rather motherly that morning . . .”
Roo
A baby kangaroo, son of Kanga. Energetic and high-spirited, Roo is always up for an adventure-but since he is so young,
mother Kanga would prefer that he stay closer to home and not get into mischief. Still Roo has a great deal of fun with
his friends, including getting stuck in a tree with Tigger, falling-then swimming-in a stream, and gathering fir-cones by the
Six Pine Trees.
“It was Biscuit Cough, not one you tell about . . .”
Christopher Robin
A young boy. Christopher Robin is indeed a PIVOTAL resident of the Hundred Acre Wood-the one to whom all the
Forest Animals turn to for leadership, reassurance, advice, and safety. Christopher Robin always Sorts Things Out and
Knows When Things Have Happened, whether he is organizing an Expotition to the North Pole or simply lending Pooh
an umbrella to save Piglet from the Terrible Flood. An intelligent and gentle child, as well as a true friend and counselor,
Christopher Robin embodies all of the magic and merriment of Winnie-the-Pooh.
“He gave a deep sigh, picked his Bear up by the leg, and walked off to the door, trailing Pooh behind him . . .”
Adapted from The Bedside Reader by A. R. Melrose, copyright © 1996 by Dutton Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group
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