Michael Bond
Michael Bond was born in Newbury, Berkshire, England on 13th January 1926. He was educated at Presentation College, Reading. During World War II Michael Bond served in both the Royal Air Force and the Middlesex Regiment of the British Army. He began writing in 1945 and sold his first short story to a magazine called London Opinion. This experience helped him decide that he wanted to be a writer.
It was while Michael Bond was working as a television cameraman for the BBC that he first came up with the idea for Paddington. After the first Paddington book was accepted, Michael Bond went on to write a whole series and by 1965 his books were so successful that that he was able to give up his job with the BBC in order.
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. Bond died on 27 June 2017.
Books
A Bear Called Paddington
Author: Michael Bond Illustrator: Peggy Fortnum
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 7+
Paddington, the brown bear from darkest Peru, is found by the Brown family on Paddington Station with his hat, duffel coat and marmalade sandwiches.
Love from Paddington
Author: Michael Bond
Illustrator: Peggy Fortnum and R W Alley
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 6+
Here are fifteen letters from Paddington Bear to his Aunt Lucy in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima, Peru.
Paddington Here and Now
Author: Michael Bond Illustrator: Peggy Fortnum
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 8+
Half a century after he first appeared in print, Paddington Bear is back.
Paddington in the Garden
Author: Michael Bond
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 7+
- Part of the beloved series following Paddingon Bear and the Brown family.
- Paddington lends a paw in the garden, with some funny results!
- Preschoolers will love the illustrations and hearing you read the story.
Paddington's Cookery Book
Author: Michael Bond and Lesley Young
Illustrator: R W Alley
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+
This delightful cookery book is the perfect way to inspire youngsters to have fun in the kitchen