Explore Paddington’s unique and universal take on life in this very special collection of warm words about friendship, family, love, laughter … and everything in between. This book is a sweet compilation of gentle thoughts and words to live by from the books, reminding us to be innocently wise and kind and well-intentioned just like Paddington Brown, even though the results may be mixed. This wonderful book is nothing less than absolutely delightful and I believe that everybody could afford to Be More Paddington. In 1997 Michael Bond was awarded an OBE for services to children’s literature and this was followed by a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2015. Both pictures and words could be used as starting points for chatting with young children about the importance of being kind, just like Paddington.

How To Be More Paddington: A Book Of Kindness by Michael Bond is a perfect book for anyone of any age who loves Paddington – and who can resist that little face? Now you can learn life lessons from the much-loved bear from Darkest Peru, in this uplifting collection of quotations from the enduringly popular books by Michael Bond, with beautiful illustrations by the original Paddington illustrator, Peggy Fortnum. He takes delight in the small things, he is always grateful, he gives everything his best shot, he is unfailingly polite. During World War II Michael Bond served in both the Royal Air Force and the Middlesex Regiment of the British Army. He was the creator of Paddington Bear and wrote about the adventures of a guinea pig named Olga da Polga, as well as the animated BBC TV series The Herbs.We bought it for a couple of friends for Christmas and I had a flick through to check the content was good enough! My son has a 'My First Paddington' gifted by some lovely friends and a Paddington car seat toy which he has found variously amusing and terrifying. She graduated from the Central School of Art in London after the war interrupted her studies at Tunbridge Wells Art School, then worked as an art teacher, painter and textile designer before becoming a full-time book illustrator.

Over the past few years of seeking out Paddington stories for my own child, I have found the newer R W Alley illustrations strangely jarring - this is not the bear that I grew up with.

Confronted by a problem, I often find myself wondering how he would deal with it, and mentally take note of his advice.