Celebrating 100 years of one of the most beloved icons of children's literature, Winnie-the-Pooh! A classic celebration of childhood, A. A. Milne’s When We Were Very Young is a collection of poems that have touched the hearts of readers for a century. His verses sing with a playful innocence, weaving together the worlds of reality and enchanting make-believe. Published two years before Winnie-the-Pooh , careful readers will also discover the very first appearance of the Best Bear in All the World. These treasured poems are perfectly matched by Ernest Shepard's whimsical illustrations, which have delighted countless readers. These poems have been read and re-read to generations of children, and today, they can still find a cherished place on every bookshelf. In all likelihood, your mother or father read you these poems and remember their parents reading the same. This collection of poetry by the creator of Winnie the Pooh was first published in 1924. With its companion volume Now We Are Six, the little books became two of the biggest bestsellers in publishing history. Children all over the world have heard about changing the guard at Buckingham Palace; James James Morrison Morrison Weather by George Dupree; the three little foxes who kept their handkerchiefs in cardboard boxes; and, of course, Christopher Robin, named for A.A. Milne's son. Adults and older children will enjoy Milne's poems too, as some of his humor is subtly directed at a more sophisticated audience. But younger children are the ones who love the naughty Mary Jane (lovely rice pudding again?) and the bears on the corners of London's streets. Read these poems aloud and pass along (or start) a family tradition. (Ages 5 to 9) A. A. Milne was born in 1882 in London. He was a playwright and journalist as well as a poet and storyteller. His classic children's books were inspired by his son, Christopher Robin. Milne died in 1956. Ernest H. Shepard was born in 1879 in England. His pictures of the Pooh characters are based on real toys owned by Christopher Robin Milne. Shepard died in 1976.