A. A. Milne ​

Alan Alexander Milne was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems. A. A. Milne was a novelist, poet, and playwright, whose audience stretched from adults to children, gaining significant fame for the latter through his endearing Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

Quick Facts ​

• Best known for creating the children's characters Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin.
• Also wrote many books and poems for adults.
• Several of his children's verses were set to music by the composer Harold Fraser-Simson.
• His books have been translated into many different languages.
• His works have sold millions of copies worldwide.
• Received an honorary degree from Oxford University in recognition of his outstanding work in children's literature.
• BBC broadcast adaptations of his stories.
• Disney adapted his characters into a series of films and merchandise that continue to be popular today.

Background ​

Milne was born in 1882, in Kilburn, London, the youngest of three sons of John Vine Milne. He was educated at Henley House School, where one of his teachers was H.G. Wells. He went on to attend Westminster School and later Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied Mathematics. After graduation, he pursued a writing career and wrote for magazines like Punch and Vanity Fair. His son's stuffed toys inspired him to write Winnie-the-Pooh, which was first published in 1926 and immediately became a success. Milne also wrote poems and plays, but he's widely known for his children's books about the teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, and for various poems. He died in 1956.

Writing Style and Impact ​

Milne's writing style is characterized by its humor, simplicity, and the charming use of his characters' speech and actions to underscore themes of friendship and imagination. His stories about Winnie-the-Pooh and their adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood demonstrate the beauty of childhood innocence, and have been beloved by generations of readers. His work can be considered as pioneers of children’s literature for creating an imaginary world filled with characters that impart enduring life lessons.

Notable Works ​

• When We Were Very Young (1924)
• Winnie-the-Pooh (1926)
• The House at Pooh Corner (1928)
• Now We Are Six (1927)