Quintana Roo

State (pop., 2000: 874,963), eastern Yucatán Peninsula, southeastern Mexico. It has an area of 19,397 sq mi (50,212 sq km), and its capital is Chetumal. The region was used as a place of exile for political prisoners for many years. Originally created as a territory from parts of Yucatán and Campeche states, it became a state in 1974. It is the site of many Maya ruins. Its main products are chicle (for chewing gum) and a small amount of copra (for producing coconut oil); the latter is produced on the coast near the island of Cozumel (where Hernán Cortés landed in 1519), which is now a popular tourist destination.

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Roo is a fictional character created by A. A. Milne and first featured in the book Winnie-the-Pooh. Because of his young age, Roo is a very small animal, the smallest in the story (other than Rabbit's friends and relations, and Alexander Beetle), although he must be very close in size to Piglet since Kanga is unable to tell the difference when Piglet jumps into her pouch instead of Roo. (In Ernest H. Shepard's illustrations, Roo appears to be very slightly smaller than Piglet.) He is also apparently small enough to fall down mouse holes while practicing jumps, and too small to reach the first rail of the Poohsticks bridge.

Like most of the characters in Winnie-the Pooh, Roo was based on one of Christopher Robin Milne's stuffed toys. The illustrations show Roo with brown fur and an upturned tail.

Roo and his mother, Kanga, come to the Forest "in the usual way" in Chapter VII of Winnie-the-Pooh. He also appears in Chapter VIII, is mentioned in Chapter IX, and appears again in Chapter X of that book. In The House at Pooh Corner, Roo appears in chapters II, IV, VI, VII, IX, and X, and is mentioned in a few others. Some of the adventures that Roo experiences include being "kidnapped" by Rabbit, accompanying the Expotition to the North Pole (and getting an impromptu swimming lesson), attending Christopher Robin's party for Pooh, getting stuck in a tree with Tigger, and playing Poohsticks.

Unlike many of the other characters in the Pooh books, Roo does not have a known favorite food, although his mother makes him watercress sandwiches on occasion. He dislikes the extract of malt that his mother gives him as "strengthening medicine" after meals, though he will reluctantly take it.

Some of Roo's friends include Tigger, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, his mother Kanga, Owl, and Christopher Robin.

Adaptations

Disney cartoon version

Roo also appears in the Disney cartoon versions of the Winnie the Pooh stories. He has been voiced by Clint Howard in the movies The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!.

In the cartoons, Roo is the smallest of the regularly appearing characters. He has brown fur and wears a light blue shirt. He often expresses thoughts and feelings that make him seem wiser than his years. In fact, on occasion Roo seems even wiser than many of the older characters.

Roo appeared as one of the guests in House of Mouse and Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse.

Kingdom Hearts version

appears in the game Kingdom Hearts along with Tigger as a tutor on bouncing. Jimmy Bennett does his voice for the English version. In the Japanese version, Kae Araki does the same character.