Review: Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear Written by Lindsay Mattick and Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Finding Winnie is a warm, heartfelt story told in a fresh and unique way. The bedtime story format invites readers into an intimate and special time between a mother and son. Mattick’s calm and patient tone manages to make readers feel as if they are sitting on the bed listening alongside Cole rather than simply being an onlooker. Mirroring the reality of a bedtime story with young children, Cole’s interruptions bring the reader back to the present and provide a childlike perspective into the mother’s story. Mattick’s writing style provides readers an insight into the characters’ nature. Lindsay’s calm, patient nature is shown in the way she responds to Cole’s frequent questions without annoyance at being interrupted. Harry’s nature as a genuine, loving man is symbolized by his hands, which are never cold, even though he is a doctor.
The warm demeanor of the characters is directly translated into the illustrations. Sophie Blackall uses a palette of greens, browns, yellows, and reds to create many of the scenes in this story. A noticeably different wash of gray is over the pages that depict Harry and Winnie saying their goodbyes, adding a layer of sadness over their departure. Perhaps the starkest contrast of colors is the scene of a red sky over the ocean, as the boats make their way to London, representing the rising tension of the war and the changes to come for Winnie. Throughout the story, Blackall brings readers back to the present by showing small, black and white images of Lindsay and Cole back in the bedroom. The black and white reality versus the colored pages in the story represent Cole’s colorful imagination, and Lindsey’s vivid storytelling. Blackall gives a subtle nod to The World’s Most Famous Bear and his One Hundred Acre Woods by doing a full two page forest spread over the inside cover.
Lindsay Mattick and Sophie Blackall created a story that will warm the hearts of children and adults alike. Together, they provide a fantastically intriguing backstory to the silly ol’ bear we all remember from our childhood, while reminding us to always listen to our hearts.
"The sum total is as captivating as it is informative, transforming a personal family story into something universally resonant."―Horn Book, starred review
"Little ones who love Milne's classic stories will be enchanted by this heartening account of the bear's real-life origins."―Booklist, starred review
"A perfect melding of beautiful art with soulful, imaginative writing, this lovely story, penned by Colebourn's great-great granddaughter, is ideal for sharing aloud or poring over individually."―School Library Journal, starred review
-Students can compare and contrast the character traits of Winnie from this story to Winnie the Pooh of A.A. Milne’s stories
-Students can create captions for Winnie’s thoughts in different scenes of the story
-Students can write an alternate ending depicting what would happen if Winnie had stayed with Harry
SHSU LSSL 5360
- Bibliographic Data: Mattick, Lindsay. 2015. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear. Ill. by Sophie Blackall. Toronto: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0316324908
- Plot Summary: The true story of the bear we all know and love, Winnie the Pooh, is told through a bedtime story by the Great Granddaughter of Winnie’s original owner. In 1914, Harry Coleburn is a veterinarian who is called to war to tend to the soldier’s horses. On the way, he happens upon a tiny bear, who he buys and names Winnie. Although Harry is unsure of how their journey together will end, Winnie tags along with Harry and the other soldiers and wins over their hearts. When eventually Harry and Winnie must go their separate ways, Winnie wins the heart of another young boy, named Christopher Robin.
- Critical Analysis:
Finding Winnie is a warm, heartfelt story told in a fresh and unique way. The bedtime story format invites readers into an intimate and special time between a mother and son. Mattick’s calm and patient tone manages to make readers feel as if they are sitting on the bed listening alongside Cole rather than simply being an onlooker. Mirroring the reality of a bedtime story with young children, Cole’s interruptions bring the reader back to the present and provide a childlike perspective into the mother’s story. Mattick’s writing style provides readers an insight into the characters’ nature. Lindsay’s calm, patient nature is shown in the way she responds to Cole’s frequent questions without annoyance at being interrupted. Harry’s nature as a genuine, loving man is symbolized by his hands, which are never cold, even though he is a doctor.
The warm demeanor of the characters is directly translated into the illustrations. Sophie Blackall uses a palette of greens, browns, yellows, and reds to create many of the scenes in this story. A noticeably different wash of gray is over the pages that depict Harry and Winnie saying their goodbyes, adding a layer of sadness over their departure. Perhaps the starkest contrast of colors is the scene of a red sky over the ocean, as the boats make their way to London, representing the rising tension of the war and the changes to come for Winnie. Throughout the story, Blackall brings readers back to the present by showing small, black and white images of Lindsay and Cole back in the bedroom. The black and white reality versus the colored pages in the story represent Cole’s colorful imagination, and Lindsey’s vivid storytelling. Blackall gives a subtle nod to The World’s Most Famous Bear and his One Hundred Acre Woods by doing a full two page forest spread over the inside cover.
Lindsay Mattick and Sophie Blackall created a story that will warm the hearts of children and adults alike. Together, they provide a fantastically intriguing backstory to the silly ol’ bear we all remember from our childhood, while reminding us to always listen to our hearts.
- Review Excerpts
"The sum total is as captivating as it is informative, transforming a personal family story into something universally resonant."―Horn Book, starred review
"Little ones who love Milne's classic stories will be enchanted by this heartening account of the bear's real-life origins."―Booklist, starred review
"A perfect melding of beautiful art with soulful, imaginative writing, this lovely story, penned by Colebourn's great-great granddaughter, is ideal for sharing aloud or poring over individually."―School Library Journal, starred review
- Connections
-Students can compare and contrast the character traits of Winnie from this story to Winnie the Pooh of A.A. Milne’s stories
-Students can create captions for Winnie’s thoughts in different scenes of the story
-Students can write an alternate ending depicting what would happen if Winnie had stayed with Harry
SHSU LSSL 5360
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