Cover Reveal: WINNIE-THE-POOH: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL

That I am a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh is no secret. Having worked with him for years, I dedicated an entire week earlier this year to his birthday (visible at Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5). It’s his 100th anniversary this year, you see, and that seems an event well worth celebrating.

I fear, though, that I neglected to mention something on Day 5. That was the day when I was talked about recent Pooh projects. I had no idea at the time, but a new Winnie-the-Pooh graphic novel has been in the works for a while. What’s more, it’s out on October 13th of this year, and adapted by Kevan Chandler and Joe Sutphin. When asked if I was game to reveal the cover of this newest Winnie-related iteration, I most certainly was…

But before we get to that, I did want the creators of this book to talk a bit about what it was about Pooh that drew them to this project. And, happily, they obliged:

Kevan Chandler:

I grew up in a read-aloud home and throughout my childhood, Winnie-the-Pooh was a regularly occurring favorite among my parents and my siblings and me. Memorable lines such as “Many happy returns of the day” and “You never can tell with bees” filled our vernacular by the fireside and around the dinner table. It was the simple, strolling spirit of these stories, I think, that made them feel like home to me and helped to shape me into who I am today.

So, when one of my dearest friends asked if I’d like to join him in paying tribute to Pooh and his friends by adapting it as a graphic novel, it was a pretty easy “Yes!” Real-life friends re-telling the old stories that taught us about friendship in the first place… It’s a dream come true and a profound honor to be part of welcoming old fans and new alike to take a stroll through the Hundred Acre Wood.

Joe Sutphin: 

I can still remember being a little boy sitting in the seat of a shopping cart as my mom strolled us past a tower of yellow stuffed bears in a department store clothing section. It was generally not my nature to throw tantrums in stores to persuade my mom to buy toys for me, but I recognized this yellow bear from a book we had on our bookshelf at home filled with drawings and a colorful map. I loved looking though it! And so I cried with all I had until Mom gave in. That bear became a friend. Over the years I trimmed his hair into a flat top – his shirt into a tank top. Made him my own.

I mention that I ‘looked” through the book specifically because I didn’t read well as a kid, so I found myself drawn to the artwork in the books we had at home. And when my agent, Judy Hansen, asked if I would be interested in adapting Winnie-the-Pooh as James Sturm and I had done with Watership Down, I couldn’t help but think back on that little boy who couldn’t read well, and just how much he would have loved this story told in a far more visual manner. 

My wife Gina and I talked it over and knew it was going to be an big undertaking. I was currently in the middle of a project with my close friend Kevan Chandler. We were creating an early reader spinoff of my book Little Pilgrim’s Progress. Because of how much I enjoyed the process of brainstorming and writing with him, I knew he would be the perfect fit to step into such a monumental project together with me. And, I already knew just how special Winnie-the-Pooh was to Kevan. I’m so grateful that Ten Speed put their trust in Kevan and I to make special book together. 

Joe’s even created a good old-fashioned book trailer to go with this book, which you can watch here:

And now… the moment we’ve all been waiting for…

Winnie-the-Pooh: The Graphic Novel is on shelves October 13, 2026 so be sure to look for it then. It’s a beauty, and we sure could all use a little more beauty in our lives. Thanks to Kevan and Joe for telling us a bit about the book today, and thanks too to Jennifer Dee and the team at Ten Speed Young Readers for giving us this glimpse into the future.

Filed under: Cover Reveal