The remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh

During World War I, Captain Harry Colebourn, a Canadian veterinarian on his way to serve with cavalry units in Europe, rescued a bear cub in White River, Ontario. He named the bear Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.

Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter Lindsay Mattick recounts their incredible journey, from a northern Canadian town to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England . . . and finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made a new friend: a boy named Christopher Robin.

Gentle yet haunting illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Sophie Blackall bring the wartime era to life, and are complemented by photographs and ephemera from the Colebourn family archives.

Lindsay Mattick is the great granddaughter of Harry Colebourn, and the author of the New York Times and Canadian bestselling picture book Finding Winnie, and the co-author of Winnie’s Great War, a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Young People's Literature. She is also the cofounder and creative director of award-winning public relations firm Pomp & Circumstance. Finding Winnie has been translated into over 10 languages and was the winner of the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 2016. Her efforts to share her family story led her to spearhead an original exhibition in 2014, Remembering the Real Winnie: The World’s Most Famous Bear Turns 100, with Ryerson University, now on display at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Based in Toronto, she has shared Harry and Winnie’s story around the world from the Lincoln Centre in New York to the House at Pooh Corner near the Hundred Acre Wood. She lives in Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood with her husband, Michael, and their two kids, Claudia and Cole. 

Joshua Greenhut is the author of more than fifteen books for children, including a number of Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures. He lives in Toronto with his family and their dog, Millie.

Sophie Blackall is the illustrator of many acclaimed picture books, including Finding Winnie, for which she received the Caldecott Medal, one of the most prestigious children’s book awards in the world. Her artwork has also appeared in murals as part of the New York City MTA’s “Arts for Transit” program. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Lindsay Mattick's profile page

LINDSAY MATTICK, Harry Colebourn’s great-granddaughter, is the vice-president of an award-winning public relations firm. Passionate about making a difference in her own backyard, Lindsay is a board member for several non-profit organizations including Timeraiser, Artbound and Help Tank. Based in Toronto, she has shared Harry and Winnie’s story around the world.

SOPHIE BLACKALL is the illustrator of many acclaimed picture books, including Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath, The Mighty Lalouche by Matthew Olshan and The Baby Tree. Her artwork has also appeared in murals as part of the New York City MTA’s “Arts for Transit” program. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

WEB: www.sophieblackall.com

Sophie Blackall's profile page