The House at Pooh Corner by A.A Milne

Author : A.A Milne
Title : The House at Pooh Corner
Published : 1978
Publisher : Methuen
Genre : Children's
Pages : 176

     'One day when Pooh Bear had nothing else to do, he thought he would do something, so he went round to Piglet's house to see what Piglet was doing.' This is the second classic children's story by A.A. Milne about Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. In this volume, Pooh meets the irrepressible Tigger for the first time, learns to play Poohsticks and sets a trap for a Heffalump. 

     Sometimes it's nice to go back to our childhood, To revisit the books that first kindled our love of reading. I still have a faint memory of my mum reading this book to me when I was just a little kid. The tales of Pooh bear and his friends are ingrained into every one of a certain age in England. But it is a world that no longer really exist and if I'm being truly honest was probably starting to go if not gone when I was a kid. Their world is one of the carefree days playing in the fields and rivers of England when you could and parents didn't have to worry. 

     This does not, however, mean such things should be lost to the fog of time. In going back to this book it bought back a lot of fond memory's. How could it not it hold a link to my past along with a few other books that still find themselves on my shelf? In their world everything can be sorted out in just a few pages. It may seem simplistic in its style now but I feel it still holds many truths that should be passed on through the generations. It shows you that no matter who you are and whatever problems you have no one is overlooked. That in the world of pooh bear everyone has there place. Pooh himself may not be the smartest bear in the woods but he does have a lot of heart. And for me, this goes a long way. He always tries his best to help his friends and make them a little happier for it. 

     This book is a collection of tales each with there own moral point to tell us. Be it banding together to help friends a common theme within these stories or simply creating a game out of sticks and a bridge. Each shows a childlike wonder for the natural world and how life can always be turned around if you put a little heart into it. It did to my surprise have, or maybe I had just forgotten have a view of the middle classes that also much like this world have slipped from view.  It comes off the page and inhabits the reader. It has a truly infectious outlook on life. It would be hard to read this book and come away feeling worse for it. And that I feel is where the true magic of pooh and his friends lie. These books are like a warm old blank that you can't help but wrap your self up in. They are after all considered a classic of children s literature. The characters and books will persist for a very long time to come and have been adapted countless times into t.v shows and films. 

     Despite the age of this book, I think it still has a lot to teach kids about compassion and trying to see the best in a bad situation. Although I doubt pooh has ever been in any real peril. This is a book that can take older readers back to there past and new young readers into the magic of the 100 Acre woods.  So take a little time to spend with some childhood friends and I hope like me it will put a smile back on the jaded face.