Now we are 95

SO it is that we are given our first glimpse of Edward Bear, appearing in A. A. Milne’s When We Were Very Young, published in 1924. The previous year, Alan Alexander Milne, a playwright and novelist, had sent several of his children’s poems to E. V. Lucas, a writer at Punch magazine and soon to become chairman of publishing house Methuen. Keen to eventually publish a full collection of Milne’s poems, Lucas determined the few he had could run as a series in Punch and set about finding a suitable illustrator, suggesting that his colleague E. H. Shepard give it a go. Shepard’s drawings won over an initially sceptical Milne and they worked together on the ensuing book—it was the start of an extraordinary collaboration.

was an international hit—the charm and humour of the poetry delighted children and its innocent subject matter brought comfort to adults after the horrors of the First World War. Its success prompted Milne to write his second book for children, , a series of stories about a, and further stories of Pooh in in 1928. Celebrating his 95th anniversary this year, Winnie-the-Pooh remains one of the most-loved literary characters of all time.