Book Recommendations 好書推薦

A Bear Called Paddington

by Michael Bond

Recommended reading age: 6-10 years
Lexile measure: 750L

A children’s classic, A Bear Called Paddington has recently been made into a popular film — but the original book, written by British author Michael Bond, is very much still worth a read. The story follows the playful bear Paddington as he travels to London from Peru and is welcomed into a typical British family. Children will immediately fall in love with the character of Paddington who always means well, but whose clumsy ways lead to funny mishaps and relatable mistakes as he attempts to adjust to human life.

Paddington (film)

Video source: StudiocanalUK  channel​

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Why we recommended

Written in a whimsical, positive tone and accompanied by illustrations, Paddington is suitable both for independent reading by beginner readers as well as to be read out loud to younger children. The book integrates more advanced vocabulary into a simple plotline, enabling new readers to easily understand the meaning of any new words they encounter. In this way, Paddington is an excellent book for expanding readers’ vocabulary. The short chapters and entertaining stories are also fantastic at capturing the attention of those who have just started reading chapter books.

The subtle humor and lighthearted stories promote a positive, accepting outlook on life. Paddington’s friendly and polite nature outweighs his silly mistakes and the accidental trouble he causes, making him a great realistic role model for young children. Furthermore, although a bear is often seen as a frightening creature, Paddington is a lovable, kind and relatable character who is treated warmly by the family that adopts him and the various other characters he encounters. In this way Michael Bond encourages children to see the good in everyone and treat them with love and acceptance.

Finally, the book allows children to see the world around them from a different perspective. As Paddington struggles to use a bathtub, wonders how to eat breakfast and battles with an escalator, readers are invited to reflect on the things we take for granted and approach their environment with fresh eyes.

Questions and activities for readers

adapted from Growing Book by Book

1. If Paddington came to stay at your house, what things would you do with him?
2. On a map of the world, find London and Peru. How far away are they? How would you travel from one to the other?
3. Paddington didn’t have much in his suitcase when he traveled from his home in Peru. If you had to travel to the other side of the world, what would you take with you?
4. Which story about Paddington was your favourite? Why?

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The article is written by Noa Shmueli
About Noa
Graduated from Taipei European School, Noa is now majoring in English at Columbia University and Trinity College Dublin. An avid reader and writer, she was the Editor-in-Chief of the TES student magazine, PEAK, and have been editing textbooks and essays since 2016.