Paddington Bear

Today is Michael Bond's 83rd birthday. Bond is the English author of the Paddington Bear series, which is debuted over a half a century ago, famous among children. The series was created after Christmas Eve 1956 when Bond bought the bear after seeing it on shelf in a London store and presented it as a gift to his wife. The first book in the Paddington series took just ten days to complete. To this day, Bond has written more than 150 books in the Paddington Bear series. I have reviewed two of them (the most recent written by Bond and illustrated by R.W. Alley.

Bond, Michael.
Paddington Bear.
1998.
Harper Collins Publishers.

Summary/Review:

Michael Bond's original story of Paddington Bear, A Bear Called Paddington has been retold by Bond and illustrated by R.W. Alley in this picture book. Mr. and Mrs. Brown wait patiently at Paddington Station to pick up their daughter Judy. While they wait, Mr. Brown notices the small brown creature hidden behind some bicycles. When the Browns go to talk to Paddington and find out what a small bear is doing alone at the station, they discover a note attached to the smock of his jacket. It reads, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Mr. and Mrs. Brown do just that, taking Paddington (named for the location at which he was discovered) home to live with their family at 32 Windsor Gardens. That's where the story of Paddington Bear really begins!

I honestly can't say that I remember hearing the story of Paddington Bear before, although I'm sure my mom must have read it to me as a child. She must have! My aunt even made her a Paddington Bear and attached that famous note to it's jacket! Children will certainly enjoy this story and be eager to listen to more! I wish I had ordered more than just the two books from the library!

Bond, Michael.
Paddington Bear in the Garden.
2002.
Harper Collins Publishers.

Summary/Review:

Paddington loves living the Browns' so much, that one morning, he takes a piece of paper and pencil into the garden to make a list of all the nice things he can think about being a bear and living with the Browns'. This story of Paddington begins when Mrs. Bird suggests that Mr. and Mrs. Brown give Paddington, Judy and Jonathan each a piece of the family garden. Judy and Jonathan quickly set to work on their own gardens, but Paddington decides to do a little research before getting started. What ultimately ensues is an adventure for Paddington, but despite all the trials Paddington faces in creating the perfect garden, he does just that and happens to win an award for the best garden.

The story is very cute - attention getting for students with illustrations that will catch their eyes quickly and provide even the youngest readers with enough visual images to tell the story even without being able to read the text! I must say, Paddington has captivated me and I want to read more!

Lesson Plans/Book Activities:

• Paddington Bear: The Official Website
• Famous Bears Lesson Plan
• Paddington Bear Preview and Activity Guide
• Paddington Bear Craft