Winnie The Pooh by A.A Milne has become one of my favorite children’s book, if not my favorite book in general, of all time. Dramatic, I know, but I promise I am not exaggerating. I’ve been returning to this book repeatedly throughout the last couple of months. And with this dreary weather the simple adventures within the hundred-acre woods is a warm hug during this chilly season.
The Beginning: The Bookshop
I remember going with my friend to Editions bookstore in Kannapolis. Knowing my equal love for both books and beverages she was excited to take me to this cute bookstore with a coffee shop built in. Due to our conflicting schedules, our plans to get there were hurried so I did not put aside a budget for books. When we drove up to a cute white paneled ranch style home, now bookstore, I knew I had to set a boundary with myself.
Turning to my friend, I stated “I’m just going to get a drink and look around. The only reason I will buy a book is if they have the Frog and Toad series or The original Winnie The Pooh.” Looking back, I think I was speaking to myself rather than my friend.
I have gushed about this bookstore to my friends and on my social media but, besides another bookstore in Winston Salem, this store is my favorite place in North Carolina. The coffee shop is well run and drinks are delicious and plentiful in variety (a big deal for someone who isn’t crazy about coffee). The space is even cuter with an additional room specifically for yarn crafts!
Side note: One of my goals for 2026 is to get back into crochet. Before school and then work took over my life I used to crochet all the time and got fairly good at it. Strangely, I never learned how to read patterns so I was limited in all that I could make. So in 2026 I’m hoping to rectify my knowledge gaps and get back into another hobby I really enjoy.
Yet, despite having so much to love in this store, what makes this place a favorite of mine are the literature. Although I can enjoy most genres, the books that I find the most comfort in are older children’s books and the classics. Two genres with which the store seemed to take special care to provide. Even in major chain bookstores like books-a-million, I have a difficult time finding the classic literature and children’s books that I enjoy. So to find so many books that meet my needs made me incredibly happy.
And incredibly disappointed in myself for trying to be financial responsible.
Sticking to my resolution of no purchases unless the aforementioned conditions were meet, I walked around the store with conviction. I said what I said, and I meant what I said, and I would not waver from my stan…
There it was.
Underneath the The Yellow Fairy Book I was coveting, and between two books that I can’t remember, was one of my two conditions. Winnie The Pooh by A.A Milne with Original Illustrations.
Why I love Winnie The Pooh
I bought it in record time. And ever since I have read this book (rough estimate) around 3-5 times. And as an aspiring children’s author, I of course have been taking notes on both the writing, readability, the characters, etc.
The characters are so endearing and no one is particularly disagreeable. I appreciate that everyone is accepted for who they are despite their strange idiosyncrasies.
Pooh, my favorite in the book series aside from the narrator and Christopher Robin (maybe more on them in another post), is the embodiment of living in the moment. The way he simply does what comes to his mind, even at the expense of common sense gives me a sense of comfort that I didn’t know I needed. This blends perfectly with the lack of a true plot within the book. There isn’t a main villain or a enemy they all must overcome. Pooh doesn’t neccesarily go through some character arc nor is there some spiritual deeper meaning behind the stories (unless you want there to be).
For all of it’s silly hijinks and adorable dialougue, the stories only amount to small moments within Pooh’s average life. Yet, each small moment is, in itself, feels like a shared experience with Winnie. As if, we too, got to observe Winnie’s daily life together with Christopher Robin. A cozy, low-stakes escape into one of the most comforting settings in children’s fiction.
In a way, I feel that, when reading the story, I almost adopt the mindset and role of Christopher Robin. The only human in this forest full of unique and hilariously flawed furry friends. I laugh at Owl and his know it all personality that doesn’t know very much at all. My eyes roll at piglet’s fake bravado and I chuckle at Pooh’s recurrent gluttony.
Winnie The Pooh is the perfect escape, especially during the fall and winter months, for those who don’t want to think. A place to feel all those emotions you had as a kid that lacked the depth and experience of an adult. Which is, in my opinion, what makes children’s literature so enjoyable. My hat off to you A. A Milne. I can’t wait to get the other books in the series.
Now excuse me as I plan to go watch Winnie be a rain cloud in order to procure some honey for the sixth time.
Do you enjoy Winnie the Pooh? Are there any children’s books that you still enjoy today? Let’s chat in the comments. Remember to subscribe for article notifications and updates.
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