Who doesn't love the bear from Darkest Peru? We had to read some of the Paddington books in our study of British Children's Authors.
I also have to add in here that one of my personal Paddington memories is the sweater that my aunt made for my brother with Paddington on the front. I think he wore it to church for many weeks. I am sure that my brother is glad I don't have a photo of that.
Michael Bond wrote the Paddington series after buying a lonely bear for his wife that was still on the shelves on Christmas Eve in 1956. They named the bear Paddington as they lived near Paddington station. Michael began writing stories about the bear and it didn't take long and he had a book. Michael worked for the BBC and after the success of Paddington books quit his job there.
The Official Website of Paddington Bearhttp://www.paddingtonbear.com/ has various information, coloring pages (or as they write colouring pages and even a Paddington Bear quiz.
We colored a page and had to have a marmalade sandwich (which didn't happen yet as we need to get some marmalade).
We read A Bear called Paddington. Everybody enjoyed that book even Daddy. Currently we are reading Paddington at Work and I found More About Paddington in a thrift store this week. The books do have a British feel to them just in words chosen or the way things are said.
One thing I learned recently is that Michael Bond also wrote some books about a guinea pig named Olga da Polga. I found one of the Olga da Polga books at a thrift store so we will have to add that to our reading list.
Don't miss the other authors.
Graham Oakley
J.R.R. Toilkien
C.S. Lewis
A.A. Milne
Beatrix Potter
I have one or two more to read about. Any suggestions for other British Children's Authors?
Beth
I was about to suggest Olga Da Polga! My children didn't enjoy that set as much as Paddington though. There is something rather special about that bear called Paddington....!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review of Olga Da Polga. I bought it at the thrift store so we will read it in the fall or when I find it in a box where it is packed. I agree Paddington is rather special.
ReplyDeleteOh, we love the Paddington's too. Mommy perhaps most of all. Just so precious and innocent and yet deeper than most children's teddy bear tales. My library has a good selection of Michael Bond books. I look forward to your other British studies.
ReplyDeleteI read your post about Classical conversations but never had time to comment. We haven't done any classical curriculum except a recent find by Susan Wise Bauer: Writing With Ease. The boys and I are getting a classical eduation from that and we all really enjoy it.
Oh, housesitting. I can see how that would be nervewrecking, worrying about the kids ruining something. I'm glad she set you at ease. :)
Joyce Lankester Brisley wrote the Milly Molly Mandy series which are quintessentially English. They are set in a country village in the 1920s where Milly Molly Mandy lives with her family in a little cottage with a thatched roof.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I have Milly Molly Mandy in a box. I will add that to our list when we get our things from storage.
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