Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear

Finding Winnie is a beautifully illustrated, Caldecott Medal-winning picture book that shares the true story of the bear who inspired A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh. Told through a charming framing device of a mother recounting the tale to her son, the book follows Harry Colebourn, a Canadian veterinarian and the author's great-grandfather, who rescued a baby bear cub on his way to serve in World War I. Named Winnie, the bear accompanied him to England and eventually found a safe home at the London Zoo, where she befriended Christopher Robin Milne. This book gently introduces historical context while celebrating themes of friendship, kindness, and the unexpected origins of beloved stories, making it perfect for children aged 4-8.

Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie. And she was a girl! In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war. Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey--from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England... And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin. Here is the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh.