Finding Ourselves in Gentle, Imperfect Heroes
Title and/or Affiliation
Author
Presenter Bio
Dr. Kim Howard is an award-winning children’s picture book author and educator. Her debut picture book GRACE AND BOX won the Indiana Authors Award in the Children’s category and was selected to represent Indiana at the National Book Festival. Her other titles include THE NAKED STREAK and DO MOMMIES EVER SLEEP? She frequently speaks at literacy-focused conferences, schools, and libraries. For more information, she welcomes you to visit her website at www.kimhowardbooks.com.
Session
Pooh’s Enduring Appeal
Start Date
10-7-2026 1:45 PM
End Date
10-7-2026 3:00 PM
Abstract
Winnie-the-Pooh is an excellent case study in the ways classic stories speak to the heart of children today. Sprinkled with enough whimsy and fantasy to ignite their imaginations, the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh feature a gentle, imperfect hero that children love. Pooh is funny, humble, and easy to love. He can also be mildly self-centered and oblivious. When he saves the day, it’s sometimes through accident and not grand, heroic gestures. No character could be more approachable and softer (both literally and figuratively!) for children than this cuddly bear. In this session, we’ll explore how the seemingly simple premises at the heart of Winnie-the-Pooh speak to larger issues with which children connect and sometimes grapple. Through the examination of individual Winnie-the-Pooh stories and characters, we will analyze the enduring themes that continue to draw children in, one hundred years later. At the heart of the session, we will discuss the ways Winne-the-Pooh represents the type of hero children gravitate toward—a hero who is gentle, imperfect, genuine, and true.
Finding Ourselves in Gentle, Imperfect Heroes
Winnie-the-Pooh is an excellent case study in the ways classic stories speak to the heart of children today. Sprinkled with enough whimsy and fantasy to ignite their imaginations, the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh feature a gentle, imperfect hero that children love. Pooh is funny, humble, and easy to love. He can also be mildly self-centered and oblivious. When he saves the day, it’s sometimes through accident and not grand, heroic gestures. No character could be more approachable and softer (both literally and figuratively!) for children than this cuddly bear. In this session, we’ll explore how the seemingly simple premises at the heart of Winnie-the-Pooh speak to larger issues with which children connect and sometimes grapple. Through the examination of individual Winnie-the-Pooh stories and characters, we will analyze the enduring themes that continue to draw children in, one hundred years later. At the heart of the session, we will discuss the ways Winne-the-Pooh represents the type of hero children gravitate toward—a hero who is gentle, imperfect, genuine, and true.