Winnie the Pooh is a huge character over here in Japan. He is tenderly called “Pooh-san”. Jun has been given many Pooh-san dolls, Winnie the Pooh books in English and Japanese, and dolls of Pooh’s friends.
So, I decided to find out all I could about this honey eating yellow bear and his cohorts. Two books later, I am looking forward to getting the third and fourth, I realize these stories are not just for children.
Pooh and his friends make up a nice cross section of society. The braggart, the perpetually unhappy, the uncontrollable bouncer, the shy one, the know it all, etc. They are all nicely described and are all Pooh’s friends.
These stories are wonderful ways to teach children and adults about “life”, and how to see said “life” through other people’s eyes.
Now, when Jun and I play with Pooh-san and his friends, I try to tell her about their different personalities. I want her to understand and accept people who are like these characters.
I admit it. I am a Pooh-san Fan!
2 Comments
January 16, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I remember having a Pooh-san book growing up. Pooh IS good.
August 24, 2008 at 8:33 am
How cute – I grew up with Pooh and have loved him dearly all these years. I hope to introduce my kids to him… I forget to consider how the outside world sees the same things we live with (I know, conceited of me I’m sure.) I do have a copy of The Tao of Pooh and I’ve seen other similar books (I think there’s a Tao of Piglet) – but I’ve not actually read them.
And I’m also guilt of not reading more deeply into books – now I need to re-read them and take a look at how it portrays different characteristics in people.