annieb123's Review of Oh, Bother

by Jennie Egerdie

Welcome back to the Hundred Acre Wood (or at least what's left of it with the encroaching big box stores) as Winnie-the-Pooh and friends acclimate to the joys and worries of the 21st century in this heartfelt parody.

The world has changed a great deal in the 100 years since A. A. Milne first created the loveable Winnie-the-Pooh, but that doesn't mean he and his friends can't adapt. With warmth and a wry sense of humour, Jennie Egerdie, author of Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best, taps into everyday struggles, offering support and plenty of laughs along the way. Like the rest of us, Pooh worries about what the dwindling bee population will do to his beloved honey, while Owl discovers how far too easily misinformation can spread online. Kanga hopes she can have a night off from raising Roo, and Eeyore is finally taking care of his mental health with the help of Dr Festinker, the neighbourhood therapist (and skunk). The world around these animals may not always make sense, but they're determined to keep on going, day by day and smackeral by smackeral.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Oh, Bother is a modern take on the beloved A.A. Milne characters from the 100 acre woods by Jennie Egerdie. Released 7th May 2024 by Hachette on their Running Press imprint, it's 96 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is part parody and a little bit of pastiche/homage featuring Pooh & co. dealing with life in the 21st century (urban sprawl encroaching on the 100 acre woods, therapy, global warming, threatening species extinction (bees) and more). Oh, bother indeed.

It's short, made up of 16 brief vignettes, and all featuring the beloved characters in various day-to-day situations. The text is enhanced by Ellie Hajdu's simple pen and ink sketches which are reminiscent of the E.H. Shepard originals without being too derivative (or actionable).

Three and a half stars. Worth a look for library acquisitions personnel and potentially for gift giving purposes.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

17 May, 2024: Started reading

17 May, 2024: Finished reading

17 May, 2024: Reviewed