NEWS | By The Chapter & Verse Team » The Return to the Hundred Acre Wood heralds the start of a new generation of Winnie-the-Pooh fans. It was 80 years ago that the last AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh collection, The House at Pooh Corner (1928), was published with illustrations by EH Shepard.

Custodians of Milne’s estate authorized the resurrection of Christopher Robin (Milne) and the extended Pooh family and handed the legacy and creative assignment to British author David Benedictus. The project, a 10-year labour of love, takes readers once again into the world of Robin and Pooh in the company of their animal friends, including Tigger, Piglet, Owl and Eeyore. New to the charmed circle is Lottie the Otter. The characters come alive in the drawings by British writer-illustrator Mark Burgess in the tradition and style set by Shepard.

The wonderful thing about Benedictus is his collection covers Robin's return from boarding school for the summer and, despite some changes in the young main character’s appearance and Lottie’s debut, the new stories remain true to the classic world populated by Milne’s creations.

Other credits for author Benedictus, 71, include the novel You're a Big Boy Now. He is also involved in directing theatre productions for the stage and screen and producing a series of Pooh audio books with the voices of actors such as Judi Dench and Stephen Fry.

Milne’s first book was Winnie-the-Pooh (1924). The Robin character was based on his own son. Pooh, Milne's "silly old bear," was inspired by an actual London Zoo bear, named Winnie (for Winnipeg) which was a gift from a Canadian army veterinarian enroute to England during the First World War.

Eighty years on, it certainly is touching to reflect on Pooh’s quote: “If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.” But with the Return to the Hundred Acre Wood launched on October 5, 2009, it looks like the Pooh legacy will live on in the hearts of generations to come.

In a special treat for fans, Winnie the Pooh himself visited Toronto last week (October 17 – 18) to promote his new book and show the world he’s for real…