Alan Alexander Milne was an English author, best known for his works for children, particularly the Winnie-the-Pooh series. He was born in London in 1882 and died in 1956. He was a prolific writer of plays, novels, poetry, and essays, but he is most remembered for his stories about the lovable bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. Milne was also a noted playwright, having written several successful plays during the 1920s. He was awarded the Order of Merit in 1952 for his services to literature.