Finding Winnie

You’ve probably read Winnie the Pooh, either as a child or to a child. But I bet you don’t know about the real bear who inspired one of the most famous characters in children’s literature. Told as an origin story within a bedtime story, this bestselling and award-winning illustrated biography ends with wonderful photos of all the characters: the real Winnie (a girl!), the vet who rescued her, the soldiers who cared for her, the boy who famously befriended her, and the author who immortalized the beloved bear. Best of all, Finding Winnie is a success at proving one of… show more.

This story is based upon a man, Harry Colebourn, who lived in my hometown of Winnipeg, Canada who rescued a baby bear and named her Winnie after Winnipeg. Funny story, I was actually researching Harry Colebourn and the real bear that inspired the character Winnie-the-Pooh when Colebourn’s great-granddaughter Lindsey Mattick came out with her book Finding Winnie. After reading Lindsay’s story, I knew that it was remarkable and anything I wrote would pale in comparison. So if you like friendship stories, like me, and want to understand the history of how the fictional character Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by the… show more.