In this first-ever dual biography of A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard, James Campbell brings to life the two remarkable men. The book takes us from their early professional and personal relationships, through their work at Punch magazine, all the way to the Second World War and beyond, including their other collaborations, most notably Shepard’s renowned The Wind in the Willows illustrations and Milne’s work on the dramatization of Toad of Toad Hall.

Using never-before-seen archival material – including excerpts from original manuscripts and drawings, draft illustrations, photographs, documents, ephemera and more – this timely book is a beautiful, full-colour volume celebrating the centenary of these much-loved characters and ultimately uncovering just who were the men who created Winnie-the-Pooh.

But before they appeared in many millions of books and in nearly fifty languages, they started life in the 1920s as the product of a unique collaboration between A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard; author and illustrator wove images and text together in a way that was utterly original for the time. For Shepard, it was a process that he relished, creating artwork for new editions right up until his death in 1976, at the age of ninety-six.

In this beautifully presented, full-colour volume, readers will not only discover the story behind this remarkable partnership but also follow the evolution of Shepard’s work, from those first tentative sketches through to the illustrations we know and love, and even on to the characters’ later incarnations at Disney.

Presenting over 150 full-colour images – including never-before-published sketches, finished artwork, personal family photographs and memorabilia – this is the perfect gift for those of us who grew up loving the books.