Pooh and the Storm that Sparkled

Text: Isabel Gaines

Illustrations: Studio Orlando

Year: 2000

Publisher: Random House, USA

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 38

Book Type: Picture Book, Reading for beginners

ISBN:  978 0 73641 147 X

This book belongs to the Winnie the Pooh First Reader series designed to encourage and engage young readers to learn to read through the adventures of beloved Pooh.

Pooh and Piglet are intrigued by a strange kind of storm brewing behind the Great Hill. They decide to warn the others. They are worried when they hear that Tigger, Kanga, Roo and Christopher Robin are on a picnic on the Great Hill. The kind-hearted friends rush to rescue them but are in for a spectacular surprise. :-)

Excerpt

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM - BOOM!

Pooh woke up with a start.

“What was that?”

Eeyore Finds Friends

Text: Isabel Gaines

Illustrations: Josie Yee

Year: 1999

Publisher: Disney Press, USA

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 38

Book Type: Picture Book, Reading for beginners

ISBN:  978 0 78684 259 5

This book belongs to Winnie the Pooh First Reader series designed to encourage and engage young readers to learn to read through the adventures of beloved Pooh.

Eeyore discovers that it is ‘Twos-day’ and wanders around the Hundred-Acre Wood to find a friend to share the day with. Eeyore is perplexed as Gopher has planned to spend his day with Rabbit, Owl is having tea with Kanga and Tigger is playing with Roo in the meadows.

As expected, he finds Piglet at Pooh’s house and they’re just about to tuck into a pot of honey. Kind-hearted Pooh has forgotten that it's Twos-day and decides to call it Fun-day, instead. 

Excerpt

One lovely spring morning, Gopher popped out of a hole right beside Eeyore.

“Say, sonny,” said Gopher, “why are you alone? Don’t you know today is Twos-day?”

Pooh’s Best Friend

Text: Isabel Gaines

Illustrations: Tim Jones

Year: 1998

Publisher: Disney Press, USA

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 40

Book Type: Picture Book, Reading for beginners

ISBN:  978 0 78684 265 2

This book belongs to the Winnie the Pooh First Reader series designed to encourage and engage young readers to learn to read through the adventures of beloved Pooh.

Pooh has a perplexing question on his mind: “… who was his best friend?”

He decides to ask his friends in the Hundred-Acre Wood. Each one gives him a different explanation. 

Owl thinks that a best friend is one you can talk while Rabbit believes he should be unselfish. Or someone who remembers birthdays or is patient and kind. Pooh could only think of one person who had all these virtues – Piglet!

He now has the answer and wants to be Piglet’s best friend too.

Excerpt

As Pooh turned to go, Roo squeaked, “I know what a best friend is! A best friend is someone who asks you to play!

“You’re right, Roo,” said Pooh.

“Thank you!”

Pooh’s Sled Ride

Text: Isabel Gaines

Illustrations: Studio Orlando

Year: 2000

Publisher: Random House Children's Books, USA

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 38

Book Type: Picture Book, Reading for beginners

ISBN:  978 0 73641 159 3

This book belongs to the Winnie the Pooh First Reader series designed to encourage and engage young readers to learn to read through the adventures of beloved Pooh.

It’s a beautiful winter morning. So Pooh, Christopher Robin and the rest of the friends decide to go sledding.

They have a wonderful time going down the big hill except for Piglet. He falls off. Not once but three times. They try placing him in different places but fail to keep him. Finally, Christopher asks him to sit in the middle. So they hold on tightly and he has a gleeful ride down the hill.

Excerpt

They all piled onto Christopher Robin’s sled.

Piglet hung on to Tigger’s tail at the very back.

Down, down they went.

“Wee!” They laughed and giggled.

Milly, Molly and Oink

Text: Gill Pittar

Illustrator: Cris Morrell

Year: 2001

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 87729 703 8

Here’s another delightful story, featuring Milly, Molly and Oink, Farmer Hagerty’s little piglet. He grows beautifully under their care but he also loves talking to strangers.

One day, Oink vanishes from his pen. He’s been ‘pig-napped’ but the brave little piggy finds his way back home and ever since, he doesn't care for strangers.

With this book, Gill Pittar couches the ‘don’t talk to strangers’ maxim in a heart-warming story of courage, love and friendship. While the main story engages the attention of the children, the underlying message is very loud and clear for little ones – steer clear of strangers!

This book is a must-have for families especially if the children haven’t yet learned to avoid strangers.

Excerpt

Oink began to thrive and he loved to chat to everyone.

“Oink must be careful,” warned Farmer Hegarty. “If he strays onto the road a bad stranger could make friends with him and then we might never see him again.”

Disney – Winnie the Pooh – Pooh’s Honey Tree

Adapted by Isabel Gaines

Illustrator: Nancy Stevenson

Year: 1998

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books,  New York

Website: Step into Reading

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978-0-73641-352-9

Website: Winnie the pooh

This book belongs to the Step into reading series – Step 2 which introduces basic vocabulary, short sentences and simple stories. 

Here’s another charming story from Disney's Winnie the Pooh based on A. A. Milne's beloved bear.

Winnie the Pooh bear is hungry and sets out on an adventure to fill his tummy with honey. He follows a bee into the Hundred-Acre Wood and finds that the honeycomb is too high. He gets Christopher Robin to help him on his quest.

Excerpt

Soon he came to a tall tree.

Pooh climbed up the tree.

CRACK!

A branch broke.

Down Pooh fell.

THUMP!

Pooh rubbed his head.

Maybe Christopher Robin could help Pooh get some honey.

Pooh set off to find his friend. 

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh - Lost in the wood

Based on the Pooh Stories by A A Milne

Year: 2003

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 28

ISBN: 978-0-7214-2432-5

This is a book for young readers from Ladybird Books' First Readers series featuring Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, based on the works of A. A. Milne.

Rabbit is annoyed with Tigger’s constant bouncing and decides on a plan to get him to stop bouncing.

Rabbit’s plan doesn't quite go well and he ends up lost in the woods. Kind-hearted Tigger comes to Rabbit’s rescue and brings him back home, bouncing, of course. 

I’m partial to adorable Winnie the Pooh. So, yes, I’m going to recommend it for your little one's library.

Excerpt

Tigger bounced back.

“Where are you?” he said.

Tigger didn’t see Rabbit, Piglet and Pooh.

He bounced off again.

“Let’s go home,” said Rabbit.