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Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear
Last updated Saturday, July 4, 2026
Author: Lindsay Mattick
Illustrator: Sophie Blackall
Date of Publication: 2015
ISBN: 0316324906
Grade Level: 1st (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jul. 2026
Synopsis:
In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.
Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey - from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England... And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin.
Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie. And she was a girl!
| Note to readers: |
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A true story told in four parts: 1. A mother tells her son, Cole, a story about a soldier who saved a bear, named
her “Winnie,” and kept her safe at the London Zoo. 2. A father and his son visit Winnie at the Zoo; the father
writes about Christopher Robin and “Winnie the Pooh.” 3. We discover that Cole is the great-great-grandson of
the soldier. •4.At the end there are photos of the soldier and his bear, Winnie.
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The author is the great-granddaughter of the soldier in the story. Her son is his great-great-grandson.
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Listen to the book and read the pages:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3NHAiNU7JY> (12 minutes)
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A 3-minute “CBS Special” news program interviews the daughter and tells the story the book in photos:
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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#Do you have a favorite stuffed animal? Do you have a “teddy bear?”
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Do you know the story “Winnie the Pooh?” …This is a t-r-u-e story about a bear and how “Winnie” began.
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Do you like real stories or make-believe stories best? …This book has both!
Vocabulary
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Winnipeg: The town in the center of Canada where the soldier lived.
• Captain…Colonel: upper-level titles or ranks in the Army. Colonel is higher than Captain.
• “into the thick of battle:” into the middle of the most dangerous fighting
• propose: make a suggestion or a plan
• salute: an action or gesture of respect, often given to someone of higher rank
• Regiment: a group of ~3000-5000 soldiers (usually commanded by a Colonel)
• mascot: a person or animal used to represent a team or group. (French meaning "lucky charm")
• vigor: energy, enthusiasm
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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How is the boy related to the soldier? Would it be exciting to be a part of a famous story?
• Wonderful drawings help bring the story to life; which drawing(s) do you like best?...Why?
• Were you sad when the soldier decided to take Winnie to the Zoo? Did he make the right decision?
• Who was the o the boy that visited Winnie in the Zoo? Did you enjoy the “true story of Winnie-the-Pooh?”
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| Craft ideas: |
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BEAR: “Build a bear” using hearts and circles: [[<https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gat9sxzfMUI>]] Make a
bear out of pipe cleaner(s): [[<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzv1XrVHycw>]]
• 4 th of JULY (USA 250yrs): 4 th of July sparkler: [[<https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HzVDkH4EMjM>]] Fan:
[[<https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y1fyLKhMJgg>]]
• National Ice Cream Day(!): 3 rd Sunday in July: Use triangles and circles to make ice cream cone poster.
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| Special activities: |
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Play “Winnie Says” (~ “Simon Says”). Instructions are to act like a bear (e.g., “Winnie Says: Roar like a bear!”)
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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