Mialie T. Szymanski, in the office of the Dean at Kent State Trumbull, recently presented at the 3rd Biennial Children’s Literature Symposium: The Pleasures and Problems of Pooh. The international symposium, hosted by Hollins University in Roanoke, VA, reflected on the role of classic children's literature in honor of the hundredth anniversary of the publication of A.A. Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh."
Mialie's presentation, entitled "Pawsitive Energy: Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger, Too, the Hundred Acre Wood Crew as Our Emotional Support Animals," explored the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh characters as literary models of emotional support.
Presentation Abstract
In the Hundred Acre Wood, comfort often arrives on four paws, with a jar of honey or a bounce in its step. This presentation explores the beloved characters of Winnie-the-Pooh as literary models of emotional support, suggesting that Pooh and his companions function much like contemporary Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) for Christopher Robin, for one another, and for generations of readers who continue to carry them in their hearts long after childhood. Before emotional support animals became part of modern conversations surrounding mental health and wellbeing, children’s literature offered gentle companions who listened without judgment, stayed through storms both literal and emotional, and reminded readers they belonged exactly as they were. From Pooh’s honey-sweet mindfulness and Piglet’s anxious bravery to Tigger’s exuberant energy, Rabbit’s perfectionism, and Eeyore’s gloomy honesty, the residents of the Hundred Acre Wood quietly reflect the emotional landscapes many readers recognize within themselves.
Blending literary analysis, reflections on folklore and animal companionship, and this presenter’s own lifelong attachment with animals and especially these characters, this presentation explores how Milne’s animal friends become more than characters on a page. They become steadfast, empathetic companions, offering reassurance, familiarity, real-world connection, and a little bit of magic when it is needed most, securing their enduring place in readers’ realities long after the book is closed.
More About Mialie
Mialie T. Szymanski, M.A.L.S. (Hollins University) is a writer, illustrator, former librarian, and education professional whose work explores children’s literature, literacy, folklore, and community engagement. She serves in the Dean’s Office at Kent State University, where she earned a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management ’25, and is STILL a graduate student in journalism education and library science programs. She just returned from a study abroad learning about nonprofit organizations across Ireland and completed a Graduate Certificate in Celtic Mythology. The creator of "Doodle Dog Enjoys the Day" and its long-running “Puppy Tails: Adventures of Doodle Dog” newspaper column, Mialie is the Literacy Promotion Chair for her local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, where she often speaks about the unique relationships of animal companions who help humans every day. At press time she is excited to include that she has reached her yearlong goal of collecting and distributing over 1,000 children’s books in Little Free Libraries across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Ireland.
