In 1926 Winnie-the-Pooh a collection of stories about a rather stout, somewhat confused bear, was published in England and America. The enchanting tales of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Christopher Robin, and the others were an immediate success, and firmly established A. A. Milne, already an acclaimed dramatist, as a major author of children's books. Winnie-the-Pooh was followed in 1928 by a second collection, The House At Pooh Corner, which continued the adventures from the Hundred Acre Wood and introduced bouncy, lovable Tigger. Ernest H. Shepard's brilliant illustntions were based on real toys owned by Milne's son, Christopher Robin. The artist visited Cotchford Farm, the Milne country home in Sussex, where he sketched the child, the stuffed animals, and the surrounding countryside. The world of Winnie-the-Pooh is as popular today as when it was first created. Winnie-the-pooh has appeared in twenty-one languages, among them Hebrew Afrikaans, Esperanto, and Latin. This deluxe volume brings all of the Pooh stories together in one full-color, large-format book. The texts are complete and unabridged, and all of the illustrations, each gloriously recolored, are included. Here are the beloved stories of Pooh stuck in Rabbit's doorway, of gloomy Eeyore and his nearly forgotten birthday of playing Poohsticks on the bridge, and so many more.

Alan Alexander Milne was born in England in 1882, the third and youngest son of London schoolteachers. As a boy he wrote verses, parodies, and short humorous pieces for his school's paper. He went on to study at Cambridge. In 1903 he left school to write. Before long he was supporting himself on his earnings, and became an editor at Punch magazine. In 1913 he married Dorothy de Selincourt. He began his military service in 1915 in Europe. During this time he wrote three plays, all of which were produced on the London stage. Christopher Robin Milne was born in 1920. It was Christopher's toy bear, pig, donkey, tiger, and kangaroo, that became the inspiration for the famous Pooh books.
A. A. Milne wrote more plays, a novel, his autobiography, and political nonfiction, although he is best remembered for Winnie-the-Pooh, The House At pooh corner, When We Were Very young, and Now We are Six. Milne died in 1956. Ernest H. Shepard was born in 1879 in London. His mother, who died when Ernest was ten, encouraged her son to paint and draw, and there was never any doubt that Ernest would be an artist. He was later awarded medals for his work and was named a Landseer Scholar. In 1901 his first picture was exhibited in the Royal Academy.

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