Book Review: A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond (Paddington Bear #1)

Mr. and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington, a most endearing bear from Darkest Peru on a railway platform in London. A sign hanging around his neck said, "Please look after this bear. Thank you" So that is just what they did.

From the very first night when he attempted his first bath and ended up nearly flooding the house, Paddington was seldom far from imminent disaster. Jonathan and Judy were delighted with this havoc and even Mr. and Mrs. Brown had to admit that life seemed to be more filled with adventure when there was a bear in the house.

My Review: 
Paddington lived with his beloved Aunt Lucy in Darkest Peru until she had to go into a home for retired bears. She packed Paddington onto a liner and sent him off to Great Britain with his suitcase, his old hat, a supply of marmalade, and a note around his neck asking that someone look after the bear. He finds himself alone at Paddington station, unsure of where to go or what to do. This is where Mr and Mrs Brown catch sight of him and feel sorry for him, deciding to take the poor bear home with them until they decide what to do about him.

Poor Paddington! Alone in a strange country without his relatives around him, just waiting on the platform with nowhere to go! If I'd seen the poor guy I'm sure I'd have had to go and see if he was ok! Mr and Mrs Brown decide to name him Paddington after the station where they met him and take him back to their house, to the delight of their children Judy and Jonathan. The housekeeper Mrs Bird is a bit unsure of this untidy looking bear but the family quickly develop a soft spot for him and adopt him into the family. Paddington is relieved to have found a nice home and people who are looking after him.

What the Browns don't know is that Paddington is not the smartest bear in the world. He also has little knowledge of much that is going on in the world or the way the modern world works so he is easily confused by things. He also has the habit of getting himself into trouble during the most normal of outings. They can't get him out of the station and home without several messy disasters occuring and the resulting bath to get clean becomes an ordeal for the very confused bear! Disaster after disaster seems to follow with Paddington getting lost on the Underground, causing havoc in the window display of a department store, getting into danger on his first visit at the seaside, creating chaos at a theatre and having a wild birthday party.

I love this bear so much! He is kind and caring, easy to make friends with and will always try to help where he can. He is so very sweet but I shudder to think of the chaos he could cause in my house. Basically, you can't leave this bear unattended at all! He is however, very skilled at getting a bargain while shopping, which would be useful and is popular amongst the market traders. I also love the hard stares he gives to people he feels are insulting or conning him-I have my own stare like that so I can relate to him! His adventures are funny and endearing and have been the perfect light, quick reads that I've needed during the pandemic. The cartoons in my paperback editions are so cute and funny-it really adds to the book.

I can't believe that I never read Paddington when I was younger as I have no recollection of any of the stories I'm reading. It seems weird that someone who read as much as I did never read these books. I have to say as well that they are just as enjoyable for adults as they are for kids. If you're looking for a fun read to give you a few lockdown laughs, pick up Paddington!

Read June 2020
4 stars.