Hide the hunny: British writer pens new Winnie-the-Pooh book



LONDON (AFP) - A new Winnie-the-Pooh story is to be published later this year, 80 years on since the last Pooh Bear book, Egmont Publishing said Saturday.
"Return to the Hundred Acre Wood", penned by author David Benedictus, is to be released in Britain and the United States on October 5.



Hide the hunny: British writer pens new Winnie-the-Pooh book
A. A. Milne's much-cherished fictional bear has enchanted children for generations since his original books "Winnie-the-Pooh" (1926) and "The House at Pooh Corner" (1928) were first published.
His tales of Pooh Bear and his companions Christopher Robin, Eeyore and Tigger were turned into highly successful Walt Disney cartoons.
Milne named Winnie-the-Pooh after a teddy bear owned by his son -- Christopher Robin Milne.
Benedictus worked on audio CD adaptations of previous Winnie-the-Pooh stories. He collaborated with illustrator Mark Burgess to produce the new tale.
It has the blessing of the estates of Milne and original illustrator E. H. Shephard.
"It's an honour to have my sequel to the original stories approved by the Pooh Trustees," Benedictus said.
"I hope that the new book will both complement and maintain Milne's idea that whatever happens, a little boy and his bear will always be playing."
Milne's tales of Pooh Bear are available in 50 languages.
Michael Brown, for the Trustees of the Pooh Properties, said: "We have been hoping for a good many years that we might one day be able to offer the world a sequel which would do justice to the original Winnie-the-Pooh stories.
"The original books were one of the greatest celebrations of childhood in any language, but we believe that David Benedictus and Mark Burgess have captured the spirit and quality of those original books.
"We hope that the many millions of Pooh enthusiasts and readers around the world will embrace and cherish these new stories as if they had just emerged from the pen of A. A. Milne himself."
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Image of a piece from a set of early Winnie-the-Pooh merchandise displayed on a copy of the first American edition of "The House at Pooh corner" in London, by Leon Neal.

Sunday, January 11th 2009
AFP
           


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