Michael Bond Books

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Michael Bond was a British author that created the highly popular Paddington Bear books. Born in 1926 in Newbury, Berkshire, Bond spent most of his childhood in Reading. He loved trains and took great joy in watching the ‘Cornish Riviera Express’ at Reading Railway Station.

The son of a post office manager, Michael Bond’s early education wasn’t particularly pleasant. He was forced to attend a school he hated (Presentation College, Reading) simply because his mother liked their blazers.

At fourteen, he chose to abandon his education altogether, eventually landing work at the BBC as an engineer’s assistant. Following a harrowing experience in Reading during which a bomb caused the building in which he was working to collapse, Bond joined the Royal Air Force. He was only 17 at the time.

When acute air sickness compelled his superiors to discharge him, Bond found a place in the British Army. While he stayed with the Middlesex Regiment until 1947, he had already started writing by 1945.

His first story placed him on the path to publishing success. Not only did he succeed in selling it to ‘London Opinion’, a magazine, but they paid him 7 guineas, an occurrence which showed him that he could make it as a writer.

He did not settle on fiction for children immediately. Bond plied his trade at the BBC as a cameraman for a while even as he produced plays. His publishing star only started to shine when he wrote and published his first tale in the Paddington Bear series.

The first book introduced readers to Paddington, a bear from distant lands that was sent to the UK by his aunt. Initially at a loss as to where he should go, Paddington was discovered by a kind family that named him after Paddington station and then adopted him.

Paddington is still Michael Bond’s most successful creation to date. The books have sold tens of millions of copies over the years, with the series receiving translations in over 40 languages.

Though, it would be erroneous to assume that Paddington was the only character Bond created. He was also responsible for the ‘Olga da Polga’ books, a series inspired by a pet the author’s family owned. On TV, he created ‘The Herbs’, a show aimed at children, not to mention two short films that the BBC aired.

His only notable project aimed at adults was the culinary mystery stories he wrote which followed Monsieur Pamplemousse.

Bond’s first wife was Brenda Mary Johnson. They were married from 1950 to the 1970s. His second wife was Susan Marfrey Rogers. He married her in 1981.

Michael Bond Awards

The author won the 2008 Audies for a Paddington Book.

Michael Bond Books into Movies

The Paddington books were adapted into two live-action movies directed by Paul King.

Best Michael Bond Books

Bond is commended for having created one of literature’s most enduring characters, with some of the best books in his bibliography including:

A Bear Called Paddington: Mr. and Mrs. Brown had no idea what to expect when they first met Paddington on a railway platform in London. Neither did Paddington. The bear had just left Darkest Peru. He did not know anyone in London.

He also wasn’t exactly sure what to do with himself. But Mr. and Mrs. Brown had an idea of what was expected of them. The bear had a sign around his neck asking anyone that came across him to look after him.

So Mr. and Mrs. Brown did just that. Naming him after the railway station, they took him home and quickly found that he was the joyous delight their lives had been missing all along.

More About Paddington: Paddington was just a random stranger – and a bear – when Mr. and Mrs. Brown found him at a railway platform in London. But now he has become family. Paddington can’t steer clear of danger. Disaster seems to follow him wherever he goes.

This is to be expected. He is far too curious and his independent spirit pushes him to experiment. But for those who know him, this is perfectly fine. Regardless of the chaos he attracts, Paddington seems to bring joy to everyone he meets. This makes all his shenanigans more than worth it.

When Does The Next Michael Bond book come out?

Michael Bond doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Adventures of Parsley the Lion and was released on November, 19th 2020. It is the newest book in the Michael Bond Picture Books.

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