I have a few boxes of children’s books in my garage from when I was a child, and I was going through them to pick a book for this month and found Winnie the Pooh: Half A Haycorn Pie. I nearly jumped for joy! This was my favorite book when I was first learning to read, probably more so than Nate the Great (though Nate the Great is a close second)! I absolutely loved Winnie the Pooh, and this little story always made me want to know what a haycorn tasted like (I still haven’t tried one!). Not only that, I loved that it also has a great message of giving part of what we have to a great cause! Let's take a look at this adorable little book!
Book Details
Title: Winnie the Pooh: Half a Haycorm Pie
Author: Betty Birney
Illustrator: Darrell Baker
Theme: Sustainability and caring for our planet, giving what we can to good causes, good stewardship.
Plot: Piglet’s love of haycorns motivates him to plant them to ensure he and his animal friends don’t run out.
Page Count: 19
Review
When Piglet wakes up craving haycorns (a.k.a acorns), he goes in search of his favorite nut. But upon finding them all gone, he ponders what life would be like without them, both for himself and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood. His friends help him in his search, and they do find some. But Piglet decides he must make a change and sets a grand example of planting one haycorn for every haycorn he eats, resulting in his new tradition of half a haycorn pie.
This little story was one that I loved growing up, initially because of the art (the pies always looked so good). But the story also spoke to the nature lover and steward in me. As a child in my family, being responsible with our resources was something I was taught very early on. So, it was great to see good stewardship modeled by my favorite TV characters in my favorite book! Now, as an adult, I also love the lesson that living on less is not a bad thing. In Piglet’s world, he plants more haycorns and makes less pie. Even with half a pie, there is still enough for everyone, and the haycorns will always be around. His act is such a great example for young children. In consumer society, we are taught to take and take and take. We are conditioned to want more, not less. So, seeing the lesson that we can survive on less and not only get by but enjoy it and see the fruits of our labor is a great lesson that I think should be included in more children’s books today.
With the great lesson, fun story, and amazing illustrations, I give this book five stars! But don’t just take my word for it! Let’s see what our family reviewers thought!
Family Reviews
Kate and Josiah
Kate gave this book a four-star rating. When asked what her favorite thing about the books was, she explained, “I appreciate the stewardship of what piglet was given.”
Kate’s son Josiah was not so sure about this book, giving it three hearts. But he gave a wonderful, straightforward review, saying that his favorite part of the book was the “Hazelnuts.” When asked why, he stated simply, “Because.”
Alyssa and Chandler
Alyssa gave this book five stars. When asked what her favorite thing about the book was, she responded, “I loved the fact that it is a Winnie the Pooh story that also teaches environmental and social responsibility! This topic of using and enjoying some resources and then making sure to give back as well is a challenging topic to teach preschoolers! But this book makes it so relatable!”
Alyssa’s daughter Chandler seemed to agree, giving this book a five-heart rating. She said her favorite part was “The tree!” When asked why, she elaborated, saying, “Because of the Acorn trees!!!!” She later added, “I want a golden acorn (haycorn)!”
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