I did not know that Pooh and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth were both turning 90 this year. How lovely that they can celebrate together! Apparently the two have never met...until now. A precious new story, written by Jane Riordan, and with illustrations by Mark Burgess in the classic EH Shepard style, entitled "Winnie-the-Pooh and the Royal Birthday" celebrate the special birthdays. The story finds Pooh Bear, Piglet, Eeyore and Christopher Robin traveling beyond The Hundred Acre Wood all the way to London to greet the Queen on her birthday. They take the train and ride atop a double decker bus to see all of London including a shop called Harrods that looks familiar to Pooh but he does not know why. Harrods is where the very original Teddy Bear was purchased by A.A. Milne for his son Christopher.
Pooh comes prepared with a special poem or Pooh hum for the Queen. He boldly steps forward to recite his poem to the Queen who is “just as Queenly and smiley and wonderful as they had expected her to be” as she is on a walkabout. As an extra treat, as if reciting a birthday poem to the Queen would not be enough, Piglet delivers a special balloon to Prince George who is described as "much younger than Christopher Robin and almost as bouncy as Tigger." As “Piglet handed him the beautiful balloon and he giggled and skipped away with it.”
Winnie--the -Pooh's adventures were a favorite of Her Majesty when she was a young girl and author A.A. Milne dedicated one of the first stories to feature Pooh in 1926 to baby Elizabeth shortly after her birth.
The free story is available to listen to and watch HERE and is narrated by another Pooh fan Jim Broadbent. You can download and read along here.
I am not 90...quite yet...but I feel as if I too have been given a special treat! Happy Birthday Silly Old Bear! Enjoy!
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”
“Some people care too much. I think it's called love.”
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