January 2022 brings a fun and familiar read into the public domain in the US: Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne with original illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard!
If you happen to have read another book about Christopher Robin, you may remember that he once had a swan (or the swan had Christopher Robin, I don’t know which) and that he used to call this swan Pooh. That was a long time ago, and when we said good-bye, we took the name with us, as we didn’t think the swan would want it any more. Well, when Edward Bear said that he would like an exciting name all to himself, Christopher Robin said at once, without stopping to think, that he was Winnie-the-Pooh. And he was. So, as I have explained the Pooh part, I will now explain the rest of it.
Winnie-the-Pooh needs no introduction. For the youngest, this makes a wonderful read aloud. Keep it simple and ask “what happened last time” each time you read.
Older children can read it on their own to just enjoy.
If you are looking for ways to spice things up, check out our Winnie-the-Pooh unit.
Of course, there is much to be said for the print versions with color illustrations (see below), but what an absolute joy. Free in the public domain. Enjoy!
Free eBook
Additional Resources
Pooh’s Library
Unabridged and retaining the original color illustrations by Shepard, this box set has Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, Now We Are Six, and When We Were Very Young. This is the version we keep on the shelf.
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick
To learn more about the bear that inspired the book, read this heart-warming story. Read our full review!
Winnie-the-Pooh: A Unit Study
Background information, activities for rounding out studies, printables, and more in our unit.
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