A true story, Winnie the Bear is the biography of a Canadian black bear named after the city of Winnipeg and adopted by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, a kind veterinarian, who was en route overseas at the beginning of World War One. Colebourn nurtured the young cub at training camps in Valcartier, Quebec and on the Salisbury Plains.

Appleby takes us through Winnie and Harry's journey and through the story of her research, all the more fascinating for her family's connection to Harry Colebourn. Appleby's insights into the remarkable chain of events in Winnie the Bear's life reveal the bear's truly inspirational role in the creation of A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.

"An act of kindness—the adoption of a small bear cub—by a man predisposed to such acts was a catalyst for many remarkable stories. Winnie provided a welcome distraction as a mascot for the Canadian troops. Her personality caught the attention of the British people during a time of conflict and great uncertainty, and her calm temperament led a young boy to her. Winnie's unique characteristics and benevolent manner triggered the imagination of that boy and his father, and helped launch one of the most loved characters in fiction." - excerpt from Winnie the Bear