Winnie-the-Pooh 100th Anniversary Celebration with Author Kathryn Aalto

Winnie-the-Pooh turns 100! 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh—a timeless classic and one of the most beloved works in children’s literature.

In partnership with Tredyffrin Public Library, we are celebrating with a very special guest author visiting all of the way from England! Author Kathryn Aalto will be joining us at the Library for an engaging talk all about Winnie-the-Pooh and the forest that inspired the Hundred Acre Woods.

Kathryn Aalto’s New York Times best-selling book, The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest That Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood, offers audiences a captivating journey into the realms of classic literature, natural history, literary landscapes, and travel writing.

The real-world inspiration for these timeless tales of Winnie-the-Pooh is Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, a landscape of extraordinary natural beauty that became the Hundred Acre Wood—arguably the most cherished setting in children’s literature. In this engaging and multifaceted talk, Kathryn Aalto accessibly weaves together travelogue, natural history, and literary analysis, exploring the intersection of landscape, storytelling, and creativity.

Audiences will learn about:

• The real places, rare flora, and fauna of Ashdown Forest that inspired Milne and his illustrator, E. H. Shepard.

• Milne’s extraordinary childhood and remarkable literary career.

• His creative collaboration with Shepard, whose iconic illustrations brought the Hundred Acre Wood to life for generations of readers.

Through rich visuals, the sounds of birdsong, and Kathryn’s masterful storytelling, this talk transports audiences to a place they may know well from the pages of Winnie-the-Pooh, revealing how landscape and imagination intertwine to create stories that endure.

This is a talk you do not want to miss! For adults 18+. Registration required.