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An authorised sequel to A A Milne’s The House At Pooh Corner is to be released by Egmont Publishing in October. The contents of the book are a closely guarded secret but will reflect Milne’s idea that "whatever happens, a little boy and his bear will always be playing," said author David Benedictus.
The forthcoming title, Return to the Hundred Acre Wood, will be published in a similar format to the existing Classic Winnie-the-Pooh books. The text will be illustrated by Mark Burgess who has already illustrated a number of Winnie-the-Pooh titles.
The existing series of books ends when Christopher Robin leaves for school. A number of suggested sequels have already been written and rejected by the A A Milne and E H Shepard Estates.
Benedictus, who worked on audio CD adaptations of a number of Winnie-the-Pooh stories, wrote his own sequel to The House At Pooh Corner and submitted it to agency Curtis Brown. It was subsequently accepted by the A A Milne and E H Shepard Estates.
Michael Brown, speaking for the trustees of the Pooh Properties, who manage the affairs of the A A Milne and E H Shepard Estates, said: "We have been hoping for a good many years that we might one day be able to offer the world a sequel which would do justice to the original Winnie-the-Pooh stories. We believe that David Benedictus and Mark Burgess have captured the spirit and quality of those original books."