Paddington: The Story of a Bear will be running at The British Library from 9 July – 31 October 2021, we have our tickets and we are very excited about going.

It's a new, family-friendly exhibition celebrating one of the world’s most beloved fictional bears, 63 years on from when he was first published by HarperCollins Children's Books in 1958. It feels like just yesterday that I bought my son his first Paddington book, a beautiful hardback 50th Anniversary edition of A Bear Called Paddington. And here we are at 63 years!

It was Christmas Eve 1956, while working as a BBC cameraman, Michael Bond bought a small toy bear who had been left alone on a shelf in a London department store. Feeling sorry for it, he took it home for his wife and they named it "Paddington" as they lived near Paddington Station. And that little bear that we have come to know and love was born.

A budding writer, Bond started to create stories about Paddington, and two years later the first Paddington book A Bear Called Paddington was published. Peggy Fortnum, already an seasoned illustrator, was commissioned to do the artwork.

She brought that special little bear to life with her incredible black and white pen and ink drawings; her illustrations captured the essence of Paddinton so beautifully.

The exhibition features over 50 books, documents, film clips and original artworks and the exhibition will explore Michael Bond’s creation of Paddington, from his arrival in the UK from Peru, to finding a new home, and his exciting adventures with the Browns in London and beyond.

The exhibition has activities for visitors to practise their hard stares, take their own self ‘pawtrait’ and follow the trail of marmalade left by Paddington, as well as a special printed guide for families. 

More than 60 years and millions of books later, Paddington lives on and continues to touch and melt the hearts of families all over the world. Including mine!