As well as Paddington, Michael Bond was the creator of the inimitable Olga da Polga, guinea-pig, teller of tall tales and all-round irresistible character.
With a new TV series coming to CBeebies, publisher Oxford has published the stories in appealing new paperback editions.
This collection opens with Olga declaring that, ‘guinea-pigs have the most beautiful ankles in the world’, one of her typically wonderful statements which she is always ready to back up with rapidly invented but thoroughly convincing evidence. Other stories concern a missing jigsaw piece, which couldn’t possibly be in Olga’s bed, and a heroic encounter with a fox. Whatever she gets up to, Olga is irrepressible, and these little stories are hugely enjoyable.
A new edition of the sixth book in Michael Bond's classic series about the unstoppable and much-loved guinea-pig, Olga da Polga. From the author of Paddington Bear, Michael Bond's little guinea-pig with a big imagination has been charming readers for over 50 years. Lots of exciting things are happening in the Sawdust household, and Olga da Polga is right in the thick of them. First of all she finds a strange jigsaw puzzle that looks good enough to eat, and then she discovers a mysterious visitor in the garden who thinks that she looks good enough to eat! How is Olga going to get out of this sticky situation?
'There are a great many animal stories on the bookshelves these days, but it takes a lot to beat the charm and gentle humour of Olga da Polga . . . Just sit back and enjoy.' - Home and School
'Olga's tales are tall, furry, and endlessly entertaining.' - Hugh Bonneville
Author
About Michael Bond
Michael Bond 13 Jan 1926 - 28 June 2017. Born in Newbury, Berkshire, England 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.
Michael Bond never thought of writing for children but, after producing a number of short stories and radio plays, his agent suggested that he adapt a television play for children. His first book, A Bear Called Paddington, was published in 1958 by William Collins & Sons (now HarperCollins Publishers). At the time, Michael Bond was working as a television cameraman for the BBC.
After the first Paddington book was accepted, Michael Bond went on to write a whole series and by 1967 his books were so successful that that he was able to give up his job with the BBC in order to become a full-time writer.
In 2015, Michael was awarded a CBE for his services to children’s literature, to add to the OBE he received in 1997.
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.
For the last 37 years of his life Michael Bond lived in London, not far from Paddington Station where it all began. He continued to write until shortly before he died on 27th June 2017, aged 91.
