Genre: Children’s Fiction
Page Count: 81
"…because she knew at once
that, however big Tigger seemed to be, he wanted as much kindness as Roo."
After three books of philosophy, I needed a break. Maybe I underestimated how overwhelming an experience of reading philosophy nonstop throughout a month could be!
But readers take a break from reading by reading something else; and what better way to fill this break-reading than with the jolly, light-hearted, comforting books of Winnie-the-Pooh.
The House at Pooh Corner is the sequel to the original Winnie-the-Pooh, and second in this line of four books. This world is nothing more or less than the animals and Christopher Robin of Hundred Acre Woods having little adventures every day.
And what silly adventures they have, mind you; yet full of innocence and joy they are. There’s something deeply comforting about reading this children’s series as an adult and experiencing the innocence of childhood age – now gone. That worrilessness, abundance of aw, friendship free of consciousness – life free of consciousness – and days and days of doing the spontaneous without any fear or interreference from the mind…, all these charms of the past come rushing back as one reads from one chapter towards the other.
Hundred Acre Woods is a place free of prejudices: Pooh is silly, Eeyore is melancholic, Piglet is small, Owl is wise, Robin is a human, Kanga is caring, Tigger is bouncy, and Roo likes Tigger – and all of it is okay, is normal, is consented. They are equal, but without the idea of equality; for the idea of equality will also bring the idea of inequality with it. ‘It will be too hard to choose then; innocence would be lost or endangered at least’ Pooh might say, but not in such difficult words.
Yet it is not a life of ignorance, or preferred ignorance at least. There joy comes not despite their not knowing but because of it. Their daily adventures are but an exercise of knowing and learning. Silly and folly, they have fun as they learn. Since it rhymed, let me express how beautiful and amusing I found Pooh’s poems in this sequel. Simple and rhyming, there were a joy to read!
It was a good break indeed. What’s
more promising is that I’ve two more book left from this series, to which I
shall return whenever I need another break. ‘House at Pooh Corner’ like its
prequel took back to the merry days of childhood – and ignited a yearn in me
for a life in the ‘Hundred Acre Woods’.
Ratings: 4/5 ****
October 16, 2020