Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh

About this book

Before there was Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie . . . Here begins the moving true story of a real bear adopted by soldiers during World War One. The inspiration behind the nation's best-loved bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a vet on his way to tend horses in World War One, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie and he took her to war. In this very special book, Harry Colebourn's great-granddaughter tells the true story of this remarkable friendship, and an even more remarkable journey. From the fields of Canada to an army base in England, and finally to London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend. A boy called Christopher Robin . . . Finding Winnie was the winner of the 2016 Caldecott Medal

Why widely assigned

This Picture Book title, typically at grades 1–4. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Caldecott Medal

  • recommended·1st gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2016 Caldecott Medal
  • recommended·2nd gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2016 Caldecott Medal
  • recommended·3rd gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2016 Caldecott Medal
  • recommended·4th gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2016 Caldecott Medal

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Common questions

What grade level is Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh?

Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 1–4. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh?

It takes about 1 hour to read Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh (55 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 60 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh?

Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh banned in schools?

Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.