Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh with this gorgeous picture book about the creation of the World's Most Famous Bear!
In 1926, the very first Winnie-the-Pooh book was published. One hundred years later, generations of kids have grown up in the Hundred Acre Wood.
How a Bear Became a Book tells the story of how writer, illustrator, and editor came together to craft Pooh's first adventure. But deeper than that, this book introduces our youngest listeners to how stories begin and where they can go. As Pooh's voice enters the text, he slowly comes to life in the art.
Textually delightful and visually stunning, this is a picture book about the making of picture books, but it is also a masterful exploration of ideas, storytelling, collaboration, art, and most importantly, honey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC.
I loved Winnie the Pooh when I was a kid, so I was very excited for this audiobook. I think I missed that this was a children's book, and was a bit surprised when I started listening to it, as it is VERY simple, very basic language, but I do think this would be great for children. Also, if this book has pictures, that would make me even more likely to recommend this also to adult fans of Winnie the Pooh.
The narrators did a great job at this, and I LOVED the production with all the cute music. Again, I'm not sure if the written version has pictures, but if it does, I would definitely recommend the two together, as I think the pictures would add a lot, but I also absolutely adore the audio production, so I don't want to choose only one to recommend.
As a big fan of Winnie-The-Pooh since I was small, I thought that this book seemed cute, and decided to give it a shot! And, my honest opinion, looking at this book from the perspective of children…
I’m not sure how engaging it is.
This book is, at its core, pretty much just a lesson on how editors and illustrations help the author’s book come to life. Which is a good idea in theory… - but something about the way it is presented falls short. It’s too long winded, and I think most children would get bored. If you were reading this in school, maybe it would pass, but I can’t see children wanting to hear this book read out loud as a bedtime story more than once. Sure, the writers made an effort to keep it more interesting, with Pooh making comments here and there, but I don’t think it was enough.
Of course, this all depends on the child. If your child LIKES this kind of thing, they might love it, but for the kids I know, I don’t think this would entertain them.
For me, not a young child, I did find this book interesting. I never knew Alan disliked the illustrator at first! ThE actual artwork in this book of Pooh and friends was very cute, it was also very clever that at first, Pooh was made up of words, until he became a real bear later in the book. Oh also, a small complaint but, I did find the art on Christopher Robin to be very… pencil smudged? I think this was intentional, but I disliked it.
So, all in all, this WAS cute for me… But I don’t think it’s the most engaging book for children.
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the ALC.
This is such a great little book (about 20 minutes on audio) about how the Winnie the Pooh series came to be with the writing of A.A. Milne and illustrations of E.H. Shepard. This is NOT the story of the bear that inspired Winnie the Pooh, but rather a telling of the author and illustrator being brought together to make the books.
The audio will be interesting to any family with slightly older children (maybe age 5-10) who have read and enjoyed the Winnie the Pooh books.
Clever ol' story about a clever and silly ol' bear. The pieces fit as if you're reading a Winnie the Pooh story, the illustrations as if reading a WTP book and they come together to make a modern classic. The extras are busy but interesting. While the story can be for all ages, the way it is presented does lend itself as an older child reading/listening. Of course, the adults who grew up on the Bear in Pooh Corner will greatly appreciate it. Read via an online reader.
I don’t think I can gush about this book enough. I’m in love with everything about it. For one, the topic: I’m a huge Pooh fan, so you don’t have to twist my arm to get me to read a book about the origin of Pooh. The approach: How brilliant is it to convey the true story of the origin of a story by explaining to young readers how ideas are turned into stories?! It’s not nearly as confusing as I made that sound. Trust me and your child (kids are smart), they will surely get the brilliance of this. The text: So lovely! A conversation between a child narrator and a fuzzy outline that later turns decidedly into a bear; child-friendly language that uses phrasing that Pooh-fans will recognize; and words that are playfully placed on the pages, as the back matter explains was a revolutionary idea when the original books were published. And speaking of…the supplementary back matter: Full of extra interesting tidbits and includes acknowledgement of the editor, art director, and rest of the book-making team, which is usually only done in longer works. But it makes complete sense to address the entire team who created a book about the team who created the book that it’s about, right? And the art! Done in the artist’s own style, but a definite nod to Alan Shepard. It’s created with pencil, ink, and watercolor but also incorporates text from the original Winnie-the-Pooh books. I mean, come on! Plus, it has the elements I love to geek about – illustrated end papers (that are different from front to back) and a surprise under the dust jacket. I was lucky enough to acquire a signed copy of this book which, I assure you, will be displayed on my bookshelf in a prominent position. Convinced yet? Don’t be a bear of very little brain. GET THIS BOOK!
How a Bear Became a Book: The Collaboration That Created Winnie-the-Pooh by Annette Bay Pimentel Narrated by Tim Campbell Publication: Macmillan | March 30, 2026
This audiobook celebrates the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh by telling the behind-the-scenes story of how the world’s most famous bear came to life in 1926. Rather than retelling a Pooh story, it focuses on the collaboration between the writer, illustrator, and editor who shaped Pooh’s very first adventure.
I did not experience the physical picture book, so my thoughts are based solely on the audiobook format. In my personal opinion, this audiobook does not feel geared toward children. While it is not inappropriate in any way, the content is very background- and history-focused, which I don’t think would hold the attention of a young listener.
The narration itself is pleasant and well done. Tim Campbell’s voice is calm and engaging, and he presents the information clearly. However, the material feels best suited for adult listeners or older fans who already love Winnie-the-Pooh and are interested in learning about its creation and legacy.
Overall, I think this audiobook will most appeal to devoted Pooh fans, collectors, educators, or adults who enjoy literary history. While it may work beautifully alongside the physical picture book, as an audiobook alone it didn’t feel especially engaging for children.
I received an advanced listener copy and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. My rating reflects it being marketed to children. If it were marked to adults, it would be a four.
This is about the creation of the iconic character Winnie the Pooh by Milne. This focuses on Pooh from creation to locating an appropriate illustrator to early publishing. It also covers some of the creation process of both fictional characters and fictional stories in general. This is charmingly told with lots of rhyming and word play. I’m unsure how much this would interest an actual child. However, adults who grew up on Pooh will love sharing this with their child or grandchild. This offers up a hefty dose of nostalgia for the adult introducing this book to a child.
This is a high quality production audiobook which includes an instrumental as well as sound effects soundtrack. The soundtrack plays in the background underneath Tim Campbell’s narration. Tim does an amazing job with the voices, his Pooh voice is really good. All of this helps to bring the story to life on audio.
Thank you to Annette Bay Pimentel, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
How a Bear Became a Book is an adorable, entertaining, and informative picture book.
This was so cute! Winnie-the-Pooh has been my favorite children’s book since childhood, but I had yet to learn of the process behind its creation until now. This picture book beautifully and succinctly describes the collaboration behind the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh. There were many fun and surprising facts, and Annette Bay Pimentel’s prose was charming, witty, and engaging. The pacing was wonderful, and although I only listened to the audiobook, I can tell from the cover that Faith Pray’s illustrations were just as delightful. I highly recommend this one for younger and older readers alike!
Tim Campbell was a wonderful narrator for this one. His tone was energetic and engaging, and the excellent sound effects made the listening experience even more immersive. At times, Campbell’s voice for Pooh felt a bit gruff, but overall, I loved the audiobook and recommend it.
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh with this gorgeous picture book about the creation of the World's Most Famous Bear!
Can you imagine that in 1924, way before all the options we have today to advertise books. . . .but in 1924, a book released with an initial print run of 5,000 books and SOLD OUT on it's 1st day???? The book was WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H.Shepherd.
I had the privilege of listening this new book that will be releasing March 31st and gives the history on how Pooh Bear became a book. It will also be released in print version, but this audiobook was a delight to listen to. Tim Campbell did a really good job narrating! I hope all the fans of Winnie the Pooh will pre-order this!!!
Thank you to @annettebaypimentel for writing this!! Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my copy to review.
This book covered more of the illustrations of Winnie the Pooh, then of the actual writing of it, which was a unique perspective. In this audiobook version the person they chosen to read the book really made it feel like you were listening to old Winnie the Pooh recordings, which I quite enjoyed. But the end matter is longer than the story. As an adult, I find it interesting but only to a point. The history of the illustrator was very interesting. The story of why the author wrote this book, why the illustrator illustrated this book, OK, understandable, but then the art director and the editor things is just too long and drawn out. I wish they had cut this book off either after the actual story or after the bio bits about the illustrator because otherwise this is a great book, but it is too long and drawn out as an audiobook.
Talk about nostalgia ! Thank you for the opportunity to get an Advanced Listeners Copy of this book. Absolutely 5 Stars ! Hear how Winnie the Pooh became a book. The stories we all loved growing up. This story is how the idea came to life, from the authors first thoughts of a bear becoming a book to the illustrations we seen on all the pages. The book gives children a look at how to imagine and bring ideas to life from the words of a story to the pictures on the pages.
I recommend this for anyone with young children and for yourself as it brought tears to my eyes and made my heart happy hearing about how some of my favorite childhood memories from books to the tv series and movies came to be.
It is difficult to review an audiobook that discusses the relation of words to pictures so clearly. I can only review the words and the narrator, not the illustrations, but I really liked what I heard. The author does a great job depicting Pooh as a character, and the reader was able to inject the perfect amount of befuddled curiosity into his voice. There are few characters so able to address the reader and the author directly and Winnie the Pooh, and the author uses this very well, describing the creation of the famous books, including the tension between author and illustrator. The additional information about everyone who created "How a Bear Became a Book" is a good reinforcement of the ideas included and all the teamwork it takes to publish something. I thought this was well done.
I am a 100% Winnie the pooh lover. I sit here writing this review while wearing my new Winnie the pooh turns 100 pjs. This is an adorable and charming story of how the bear, Winnie the Pooh became a book. It explains the idea of the writer. Then what an editor does. How the illustrator helps to bring the story to life. Finally how the story is laid out and the matching illustrations are put with that, as if it's a movie. Plus all of the hard work of a full team it takes to make books and how they are distributed to stores. All in all a lovely way to send love to the beloved Winnie the Pooh for his 100th birthday. The narrators charming tone and cadence are a perfect accompaniment to help this book flow and feel sweet.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.
Who doesn’t love Winnie the Pooh? The story behind the story is an interesting one, but it was a bit difficult to follow without looking at the physical book. From what I have seen of the illustrations online, it is an adorable book that would be worth buying to follow along with the audio. I do not think young children would enjoy or appreciate this book, but elementary (or older) students who are learning about writing, illustrating, editing, or publishing books could learn a lot from this story. It’s just the type of thing I would have looked for when I was homeschooling my kids. The audio was good, but I recommend getting the book. *I received a complimentary copy of this audio book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This delightful book captures the heart and whimsy of Winnie-the-Pooh in a nonfiction story about the development of the original Pooh character and books. The prose is frequently interrupted from commentary by "Pooh" which captures his voice perfectly. I also love how the illustrator, Faith Pray, depicted Pooh at the beginning of the story as a sketchy collection of words, gradually becoming a fully formed bear by the end of the book when the book is first released to the public – signifying that it is readers who make a beloved character 'real.' I also appreciated learning a bit more about A.A. Milne and illustrator Ernest Howard Shepard in the back matter. Truly a delightful read!
This is such a special way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Winnie-the-Pooh classics! The artwork was beautifully done and kept to the character of the original books. If you have ever wondered how the original books came to be, this book is for you! I love reading about how life can imitate art in such a unique, childlike way.
“You started with an idea, and ideas that you think become stories you tell, which become words you write which become books everyone can read!”
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC of this book!
I listened to this with Sweet P. I was impressed with her attention span as she listened to the full audiobook. She also relayed to BIG L, "this was about the illustrations of the books."
This was very informative in learning how the author and illustrator came together to create the classic stories of Winnie the Pooh. I appreciated how short this audiobook was. I'm very curious to know what the physical book looks like.
While this advertised for children 4-8, I personally think older children (maybe 8-12) couple appreciate this more.
This is such a darling, whimsical book that not only tells the story of how AA Milne and Ernest H Shepard came together to create the Winnie-The-Pooh books, it also takes readers on the journey of how a picture book is made. Christopher Robin and Pooh tell the story in a way that pays brilliant homage to the original books, with Pooh interacting in familiar ways with the words on the page. We even get a perfectly timed "Oh bother!" that made me laugh out loud! A wonderful companion to the much-beloved Pooh books.
An absolute joy. The knowing text, and the brilliant approach to illustration by Faith Pray, allow the story of Pooh and his creators to emerge into clarity while telling the story of how the Winnie-the Pooh books came to be. The evolution of the design and realization of the first book, including printing methods and inclusion of one of the first illustrations to cross the gutter for a full page spread, are echoed in the excellent back matter, which gives a nod to the editorial and design team of the picture book. This is a real achievement and a delightful read.
*I received a free copy of this audiobook from Libro.fm as part of their ALC for Librarians program.
This was a fun one. It can be a little tricky making history engaging for littles, especially without visual cues, but this one did a fun job of incorporating storytime-worthy sound effects into its storytelling, and his voice effects are simple but effective, and reminiscent of the characters' cartoon renditions.
Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for allowing us to listen to this book.
My 9 year old son and I listened to this book together. He loves Winnie the Pooh and was exited to learn about how he was created. I liked how they gave the information but made the real people feel like fantasy characters. As if they were fiction. My son said that he enjoyed the book and that he loved the background noises. We gave it a 4/5 ⭐️
This is a perfect book to introduce young children to the book writing process. It talks about what the author, illustrator and editor do and how they work together on a book. I read this as an audiobook, so I only saw the few pictures that are posted on Amazon, but the illustrations are sweet and whimsical. I appreciate the writing at the back that tells more about AA Milne and the illustrator. Kids will relate to this book because they love Winnie the Pooh.
I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.
I grew p loving Winnie the Pooh and the original drawings of the hundred acre woods. This book brings to life the story of how A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard got together to make such an iconic set of books. The audio is adorable with Pooh commenting throughout the book and the details of publishing a book are wonderfully detailed but perfect for kids. An amazing tribute!
This beautiful picture book is a delightful read for all ages! Via an unconventional and engaging second person address, the narrator takes readers through the publication journey of one of the world's most treasured children's book series. I enjoyed learning about page design and text placement choices. My young son enjoyed the silly-sweet commentary of a familiar-looking bear silhouette. Book-lovers, you are in for a real treat with this one!
This gorgeous book is a must-have for any family that loves Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Both the story of how the beloved children's classic became a book and the story of how books are made, it beautifully captures the process of making illustrated books. I especially love how Bear starts as an ethereal being made from words and gradually becomes more substantial as the story unfolds. Highly recommend!
Sweet as honey loved by that silly old bear and his generations of fans, this illustrated book isn’t a standard picture book; it’s a loving salute to the origins of Winnie-the-Pooh as a literary classic, detailing how writer/illustrator/editor/publisher worked as a team to bring a child’s vocal bedtime tales into a tangible sharable medium from books to movies. Delightful and informative for all ages.
Oh, bother! This bear book stole my bear heart! A sweet tale about how a bear came to snatch the heart of millions, including me. I've loved Pooh for almost 60 years, so of course I love this story AND THESE illustrations. Beautifully done by the author and illustrator. I bought two copies—one for my grandson, Teddy, and one for myself. I hope my favorite bear enjoys reading about my favorite "silly old bear!"
Winnie the Pooh has survived the ages for good reasons. This book uses the history of the creation of the Winnie the Pooh story to address how a book is designed and the collaboration that is needed between author, illustrator and editor. Would be great to use in library curriculum when teaching students about authors and illustrators. Would have given it 5 stars, but it would be the rare child that would pick this up on his own and stay with it.
Sweet picture book about how Winnie the Pooh came together from the author to the illustrator to the editors. Young readers will love seeing the evolution of the beloved bear, but also learn the process of writing and illustrating and publishing a book! The illustrations give such a wonderful feel for the bear and his friends!