Winnie the Bear: The True Story Behind A. A. Milne’s Famous Bear

Winnie the Bear is the biography of a Canadian black bear adopted by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn and named after the city of Winnipeg. A kind veterinarian who was en route overseas at the beginning of World War I, Colebourn nurtured the young cub at training camps in Valcartier, Quebec, and on the Salisbury Plain. Appleby takes us on Winnie and Harry's journey and through the story of her own research, which is all the more fascinating for her family's connection to Harry Colebourn. Appleby's insights into the remarkable chain of events in Winnie the Bear's life reveal the bear's truly inspirational role in the creation of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.

M. A. Appleby grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in anthropology and psychology at the University of Winnipeg in 1980. After moving to Detroit in 1983, she completed a Master of Arts degree in clinical psychology, and has spent 27 years working in that field. M. A. and her family currently reside in the old Wolseley neighbourhood in the heart of Winnipeg. Winnie the Bear is her first book.