Michael Bond (1) (1926–2017)

I loved the Paddington stories as a child, even though, by the time I was introduced to them in the early 1970s, they were probably already a bit out of date. Indeed, I imagine that they were already rather dated even when they were first published – that is one aspect of their charm. Another is the fact that, unlike the recent films (highly entertaining though they are), all the mishaps and adventures that befall Paddington arise from everyday activities. The normality of the context show more serves to accentuate the humour and delight of the stories.

I first read [Paddington Abroad] nearly fifty years ago, at a time when I myself had never been abroad. I was, therefore, utterly intrigued with the accounts of Paddington’s preparations for his first foreign holiday with the Brown family, and enchanted by his adventures once he arrives in France. Now, nearly fifty years later and reading it to my great niece, that enchantment remains intact. The stories work just as well now, and my great niece was as delighted with this book as I had been.

Michael Bond’s trick is to write with great simplicity, and he never patronises the reader, of whatever age. His humour works on to levels, delighting his child readers at the most direct level, but also appeals to parents (and great uncles). Paddington has an occasionally alarming honesty, which, supported by his disarming ‘hard stare’, enables him to cut through facades.

In this volume, some of the highlights include Paddington causing consternation at his bank when he attempts to withdraw some money for the holiday, falling foul of passport control, playing the big bass drum in a parade through a French village, and finally even participating in the Tour de France. All very funny and marvellously handled. show less

From the author of Paddington comes this charming short chapter book about a guinea pig named Olga da Polga who lives in a pet shop until she’s adopted by a little girl named Karen. Olga is quite the character: earnest, theatric, and a romantic. She’s at one moment perfectly content to bask in the sun and eat her fill of grass, and then next moment concocting a scheme to see if the grass is greener outside the pen. Her personality and choices play out their consequences quickly, to show more humorous effect. Bond easily gets away with the more fantastical elements of the story (like Olga spelling out her own name in sawdust so Karen knows what to name her) because he is a master of realistic personality and social dynamics. There are many many children’s stories about anthropomorphized animals, and I liked how Olga’s adventures navigated both her natural experiences as a guinea pig and her interactions with the human world from the perspective of a small mammal.

Olga da Polga isn’t quite an easy reader as there is plenty of more complicated vocabulary, but its length and plentiful illustrations make it perfect for the child who is reading independently but not quite ready for chunky chapter books. show less

Whether you’re a child or an adult, this is one to try if you crave coziness.

Paddington’s an adorable little bear who loves marmalade and mostly abides by his own moral code (minus dodging the truth here and there to cover up some of his unfortunate mishaps). Especially endearing to me were his moments reminiscent of my dog, Paddington’s tendency to tumble into trouble at every turn and make an absolute mess of himself when he eats. I also liked that every now and then Paddington show more spares a poignant thought for his Aunt living in a retirement home for bears.

If you’d rather not breeze through this in one sitting (which is totally doable), the format here lends itself well to reading a chapter or two a day or before bedtime. The chapters, though connected, unfold like a series of sweet, charming short stories, with a variety of everyday adventures like buying a new coat, a trip to the theater, celebrating a birthday, etc., as Paddington, new to London (from Darkest Peru) is immediately taken in by the patient and kind Brown family who love him like one of their own.

While there’s minimal exploration of supporting characters, if whimsy such as a bear doing the family’s grocery shopping appeals to you, you’ll find much to enjoy here, Paddington has stood the test of time for a reason. show less

I simply adored every minute of this audiobook. The collection contains three Paddington books: the original, A Bear Called Paddington; More About Paddington; and Paddington Here and Now, one of the more recent stories. All are expertly narrated by Stephen Fry, who was the perfect choice. His kindly voice and quintessential Britishness really enhanced my enjoyment of Paddington's exploits. I read some of this while travelling and could not refrain from grinning or chuckling to myself when show more something amusing happened, or shedding a tear at particularly touching stories (e.g. Paddington's first Christmas with the Browns). Meanwhile, at home I would routinely be guffawing at Paddington's misunderstandings, much to the consternation of others in the household, because I was wearing headphones. It's a quick, delightful listen and will leave you craving more. Very, very highly recommended for all lovers of Paddington and/or Stephen Fry. show less