(4.5 / 5)
(My rating is specific to the audiobook version releasing from Dreamscape Media in 2022.)

It can be difficult to review a beloved classic, and that is the case for this book, even though I haven't read it before myself. I've read parts, but never the whole thing. Of course, I've seen many of the different cartoons, especially the older ones that were more based on this book. So it was nice to read it all the way through and see the source material for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The story itself was wonderful, and the narrator did an overall great job. Of course, it can be difficult to let go of the voices we're used to after so many viewings of the movies and television show, but I did my best not to compare it to that, as that really wouldn't be fair. For most of the characters, and for the narrator voice itself, I thought it was done well. My only issue was with his voice for Piglet, which was a little unpleasant.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me a copy of this book to review. ( )

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Canterbury Classics) for promotional purposes.

Adorable. Adorable. Adorable. This book was so cute!

Growing up, I never read Winnie the Pooh but I was a fan of the Disney interpretation. The 2011 “Winnie the Pooh” movie (which I watched as a teenager) is the cutest and funniest thing ever. I’m so glad I finally read the book that started it all.

The story is so fun and whimsical and it just made me feel so nostalgic. Pooh and all is friends are so endearing and I love every single one of them (Eeyore being my favorite). I was surprised to discover that Tigger is not in this book; he appears in the sequel. I was so charmed by all the characters that I actually didn’t notice his absence until the last chapter.

This edition also included “When We Were Very Young,” a poetry collection where Pooh made his first (very brief) appearance. I also enjoyed these poems. They felt like childhood innocence.

The illustrations accompanying both the story and the poems are perfection. They make the story more iconic and capture the spirit well.

Overall, I was delighted to make the adventure into Hundred Acre Wood to spend time with Pooh and friends. It’s definitely a story I will share with my future children someday. ( )

I enjoyed this walk down memory lane with Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. Each character brings a unique personality to the story. My favorite is still Piglet, I understand Pooh's penchant for honey, as I have similar feelings about dark chocolate.

As a side note, I concurrently listened to this on audio, with Michael Page narrating. At first I couldn't quite figure out why Mr Page chose a specific voice for Pooh, as I probably was being influenced by Disney's animated version. After I completed the book, I did some reading about its history. It turns out the illustrator, E. H. Shepard, based his illustrations of Pooh on his own son's teddy bear named Growler, instead of Christopher Robin's bear. Perhaps that accounts for the narrator's choice of a growling type of voice for Pooh.

This illustrated book and the audio is recommended both to adults and children. My adult self did not have as much patience with the simplicity of the characters as my younger self would have, but I still enjoyed the story.

Original year of publication: 1926 ( )

There are some really wonderful children's books out there, but this isn't one. Not much seems to happen, or maybe things happen but not in a fun way. Plus it keeps saying how dumb Pooh is, which feels mean. ( )

I didn't much care for the sound effects (forest noises and music between the chapters) but the stories retained their charm. It has been so long since I read these original stories that I had forgotten them -- what I remember is the Disney animation. ( )