The Natural World of Winnie the Pooh

As rain drizzled softly on the library windows, a crowd of friends, family and interested booklovers gathered within to listen to Kathryn Aalto—mother of upper Tess and senior August—share some of the magic behind her newest novel this past Saturday.

This is Aalto’s second major work, titled “The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood.” The volume explores human intervention in nature using the example of the English countryside that inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh chronicles. She tells the true story of Christopher Robbins, the main character in “Winnie-the-Pooh,” and of how the actual landscape written about in the stories has evolved to the present day.

Aalto grew up in California where she received a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and then moved to Washington in 1992 to receive her master’s degree in creative nonfiction and teach at a local community college. In 2007, she moved to Exeter, England, receiving a second master's degree in landscape history from the University of Bristol. There, she raised her two children.

"I write this in concern for the changing nature of childhood, and in curiosity of what will happen to the Christopher Robbins' of the 21st century."

In her talk on Saturday night, she took us through her process of coming up with the idea for the book. Aalto shared stories and pictures about her favorite places to write, which included quaint British pubs and the inspiring countryside of southern England. But when asked what her true inspiration was, Aalto replied, “I wrote this book for my kids. And I wrote to tell the world about the changing environment of childhood.”

Since the book’s publication just over a year ago, “The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh” has been a huge hit in the literary world. It has received accolades from major presses like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and BCC Wildlife Magazine as well as ratings on the New York Times bestseller list in 2015, a feature on NPR and an appearance in People’s Magazine.

With the concern for her children and their futures in mind, Aalto expressed a sense of urgency with her message. “I write this in concern for the changing nature of childhood, and in curiosity of what will happen to the Christopher Robbins' of the 21st century,” she said.

She summarized the style of her book as “a piece of literary and natural history wrapped in a charming narrative.” Aalto uses her background in both creative nonfiction and landscape history to tell a complex story. In her interview, Aalto spoke about the “dual narrative” that exists within her pages. Aalto uses dual narrative as a tool to broaden her readership and include everyone in her story. “I tell a classic and entertaining tail for young readers, and a fascinating geographical history for the adults. It is a visceral experience for people of all ages,” she said.

In her talk, she explained that her book captures the beauty of the exquisite landscapes of nature. During the time she and her family spent in Exeter, England, Aalto was devoted to teaching her family to appreciate nature and to ground their independence in the world outside. Upper Tess Aalto explained that growing up with these ideals has helped her live a “fulfilled” and more “simplistic” life.“Growing up in the outdoors has made me more adventurous in all aspects of life and really appreciative of what I have,” she said. Kathryn’s son August echoed his sister. “I've melded together a quantitative and poetic appreciation of the natural world.”

One of the main themes of Aalto’s novel is to ensure that, through a healthy connection to the natural world, humans maintain a sense of self appreciation, while also gripping onto precious memories of childhood. This message is deeply ingrained into her children. Tess said, “My Mom’s message is particularly important at the time in life when we’re all growing up. It’s important to be aware and not lose a sense of who you are. I think that nature and place helps center us no matter where we are, and develops an appreciation for our free childhood that we are losing as we grow up.”

Aalto looks forward to bringing her story to Exeter in hopes of teaching others in her children’s generation about the beauty of the natural world and the importance of embracing childhood. August said that Exonians should value finding “quiet spots for reflection.” “That meditative place can go long way to restoring both mind and body after the wear and tear of PEA,” he said.

"The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood" is now available at the Exeter Bookstore. Aalto encourages you to go experience all the things the book is designed to induce: nostalgia, enlightenment, appreciation and perspective.