How a Bear Became a Book
Author: Annette Bay Pimental
Illustrator: Faith Pray
Published March 31st, 2026 by Henry, Holt, and Co.
Summary: Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh with this gorgeous picture book about the creation of the World’s Most Famous Bear!
In 1926, the very first Winnie-the-Pooh book was published. One hundred years later, generations of kids have grown up in the Hundred Acre Wood.
How a Bear Became a Book tells the story of how writer, illustrator, and editor came together to craft Pooh’s first adventure. But deeper than that, this book introduces our youngest listeners to how stories begin and where they can go. As Pooh’s voice enters the text, he slowly comes to life in the art.
Textually delightful and visually stunning, this is a picture book about the making of picture books, but it is also a masterful exploration of ideas, storytelling, collaboration, art, and most importantly, honey
“A thoughtful, beautifully crafted title that honors a literary classic on the eve of its centennial and introduces “The Best Bear in All the World” to a new generation.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review
“A stunning tribute to a classic that also offers insight into the bookmaking process.” —Kirkus, Starred Review
“Bay Pimentel and Pray highlight the importance of teamwork, pulling back the curtain on the creators who produced the Winnie-the-Pooh books.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“Marking one hundred years since the publication of A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh (1926), this thoughtful, well-designed informational picture book pays tribute not only to that book’s creation but also to the process of book creation in general.” —Horn Book, Starred Review
“Appealing and thorough, a charming companion to the original Pooh stories and an enlightening introduction to how children’s books can evolve.” —Booklist
About the Creators:
Annette Bay Pimentel is the author of several nonfiction picture books, including the Schneider Family Book Award honor book All the Way to the Top, Pura’s Cuentos, and Before Colors. She lives in Moscow, Idaho.
Faith Pray is the author-illustrator of The Day We Got Lost, Perfectly Imperfect Mira, and The Starkeeper, among others. She comes from a family of talented children’s book creators, but her extraordinary talents for capturing light and shadow and conveying emotion and story through line work are all her own. Faith lives with her husband and children plus two cats in the Pacific Northwest.
Review: The first thing that stuck out to me about this book was how clever it was. It is clever in the writing, including the structure, and in the illustrations. It took the idea of writing a nonfiction book about Winnie-the-Pooh and turned it on its head to make it unique because it focuses on the evolution from idea to book and how Winnie-the-Pooh, as the character we know, came to be.
The book is more than just a story about A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh books though. It is a book about creating. It will help readers see how a book went from an idea to a product to something we treasure. It also looked at why the Milne books were special, especially when it came to illustration placement and how the illustrations and words played together. And I love that the editors had a place in the story; editors are often not talked about in picture books.
And lastly, the inclusion of Pooh himself in the narrating added humor and nastalgia.
I can definitely see why the book is getting so many starred reviews–it deserves all the praise! It’ll be a great addition to any classroom, library, or home, and I cannot wait to hear about educators using it along with aspects of Pooh’s stories.
Educator’s Guide with Discussion Questions and Activities:
Flagged Spreads:
Read This If You Love: Winnie-the-Pooh
Recommended For:
**Thank you to the author for providing a copy for review!**
