Paddington Bear

Paddington Bear has been a beloved character in children's literature for over 50 years. He was created by Michael Bond and first appeared in print in the United Kingdom in 1958. Bond was inspired to write the Paddington books by a toy bear he bought his wife for Christmas. The first book to feature the British bear was A Bear Called Paddington, in which Paddington is discovered at a London railway station by the Brown family. A stowaway from Darkest Peru, without identification or a place to go, the bear is adopted by the Browns, who name him Paddington after the station. After taking up residence at 32 Windsor Gardens, Paddington has many adventures while learning to be part of the family and encountering everyday troubles. Paddington is unfailingly polite, but has a penchant for taking things literally, which gets him into trouble. These cultural misunderstandings provide the plot for most of the Paddington books.

Originally illustrated in pen and ink by Peggy Fort-num, Paddington is often depicted in a big duffle coat and a large bush hat—the hat was inherited from his uncle. In color editions of the book, Paddington's coat is blue with wooden fasteners and his hat is often red, yellow, or black. When Paddington began to be marketed as a stuffed toy for children, he donned a pair of Wellington boots to complete his outfit and to help the bear toy stand on its own. Paddington is often seen carrying a brown suitcase that bears his initials and has a secret compartment where he can keep important items. Paddington loves marmalade and can often be found with an “emergency” marmalade sandwich under his trademark hat.

The Paddington stories often work through issues of immigration and assimilation. Mr. Curry, the closed-minded, next-door neighbor, often acts as a foil for Paddington, trying to take advantage of the bear and failing. In contrast, Mr. Gruber provides much needed support and friendliness, sharing Paddington's sense of being an outsider. As Mr. Gruber is a Hungarian immigrant, he often shares information with Paddington and is sympathetic to the adjustment problems Paddington encounters. While Paddington's creator considers him a uniquely British character, the stories are widely successful outside of the United Kingdom and have been translated into 30 languages.

Eleven official Paddington books were published between 1958 and 1979. In 2008, Bond published the 12th Paddington book, Paddington: Here and Now. Paddington's adventures have also been made into several picture and board books published for younger readers. Aside from books, Paddington has also appeared in various forms from advertisements to royal stamps. [Page 466]He also serves as the charity mascot for Action Medical Research and has been immortalized with a bronze statute in Paddington Station.

In addition to print publications, there have also been three separate Paddington television series. The first series debuted in 1975, featuring a stop animation Paddington doll in front of animated backgrounds and with animated characters. The second series began in 1989 as part of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera and featured traditional animation. The third series, The Adventures of Paddington Bear, was developed in 1997. Warner Brothers has bought the rights to produce a Paddington movie, so Paddington may have more adventures in store for the future.

...