First sentence: When Harry Colebourn looked out of the train window, he couldn't believe what he saw: a bear at the station!
Premise/plot: This picture book is the 'true story' of the real bear named Winnie that was eventually given to the London Zoo. The book ends by introducing readers to a young Christopher Robin who enjoys visiting Winnie at the zoo.
My thoughts: Most of the picture book takes place during World War I. You probably can't think of many picture books about World War I or set during World War I, I know I can't think of any others at the moment! Harry Colebourn is a soldier, a Canadian soldier, and the war is in the background. As an adult reader, I felt the war was rightly in the background. I'm not sure if young readers will read the book in quite the same way. Winnie, the bear, is a friend, companion, mascot, not just to one soldier--though Harry is his favorite--but to a regiment. When Harry's called to fight overseas in Europe, Winnie is left in the care of the London Zoo. An author's note fills in the details of Winnie's life after the publication of A.A. Milne's classic children's book.
Text: 4.5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4.5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10
© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
1 comment:
Cool. That explains something that I heard on a radio drama and didn't fully understand -- a bear with a Canadian regiment. I've been listening to Home Front as a podcast from the BBC, a radio drama about WWI : http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047qhc2
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