Paddington Abroad Signed By Michael Bond

Author: Michael Bond
Price: £375
Publisher: Collins, London, UK
Edition: Second edition
Publication Date: 1974
Format: Original cloth gilt with dustwrapper
Condition: Near fine in near fine dustwrapper
Size: 14.5cm x 20.5cm
Pages: 126

Description:

Binding nice and tight. Pages nice and clean. A very near fine, tight, clean copy in near fine, slightly creased dustwrapper. Signed ‘All good wishes, Michael Bond’ to the front free endpaper. Scarce signed and a very good copy overall.

The Story:

Paddington Abroad is the fourth book in the Paddington Bear series by Michael Bond, originally published in 1961. In this book, Paddington Bear embarks on his first-ever holiday abroad with the Brown family, marking a new set of hilarious and heart-warming adventures for the lovable bear from Darkest Peru.

Plot Overview:

In Paddington Abroad, the Brown family decides to take a holiday trip to France. Naturally, Paddington is thrilled by the idea of travelling to another country, but his excitement, combined with his usual curiosity and innocent misunderstandings, leads to a series of amusing escapades.

Key Stories:

The book is composed of several episodes, each one involving Paddington’s experiences and misadventures in a foreign setting:

1. Paddington Packs His Suitcase: In his typical style, Paddington attempts to pack his suitcase for the trip, but his packing skills leave much to be desired. His misunderstanding of what is needed for the journey results in some humorous situations.
2. The Passport Issue: One of the first challenges Paddington faces is obtaining a passport. Paddington’s unique approach to bureaucratic processes, and the chaos that ensues, creates a funny and light-hearted start to the journey.
3. Driving on the Right: Upon arrival in France, Paddington must adjust to driving on the opposite side of the road. This, predictably, causes confusion and chaos for both Paddington and the people around him.
4. French Customs: Paddington’s encounter with French customs officers is another comic moment. His lack of understanding about what is expected of him and his innocent attempts to help make the situation more complicated than necessary.
5. Picnicking Adventures: The Brown family decides to go on a picnic in the French countryside, and Paddington contributes his usual dose of chaos. From trying to navigate French cuisine to his struggles with local wildlife, the outing turns into a memorable adventure.
6. Paddington’s Scrapbook: One of Paddington’s most beloved hobbies is documenting his adventures in his scrapbook. During the holiday, he takes photos and collects souvenirs, though his method of creating the scrapbook becomes a story of its own.

Themes:

1. Travel and Adventure: The central theme of Paddington Abroad is travel, which adds a new dimension to Paddington’s adventures. The novelty of exploring a foreign country allows for fresh humour and highlights Paddington’s curiosity and open-mindedness.
2. Cross-Cultural Humour: Much of the comedy in the book comes from Paddington’s encounters with unfamiliar customs and language barriers. His efforts to adapt to French ways, often with unintended consequences, provide readers with humorous insights into the misunderstandings that can occur in cross-cultural situations.
3. Curiosity and Mischief: As with all Paddington stories, the bear’s curiosity drives the plot. His eagerness to try new things—whether it’s packing for a holiday, navigating French streets, or interacting with French people—inevitably leads to comic misadventures.

Characters:

• Paddington Bear: The central character, Paddington’s naive but good-natured approach to the world makes for endless humorous moments, particularly when faced with the unfamiliar setting of France.
• The Brown Family: Mr. and Mrs. Brown, along with their children Jonathan and Judy, play supportive roles in helping Paddington navigate the holiday, often stepping in to resolve the chaos that Paddington unintentionally creates.
• Mrs. Bird: The Brown’s housekeeper, Mrs. Bird, joins the family on the trip and offers her usual wisdom and no-nonsense attitude when dealing with Paddington’s antics.

Tone and Style:

• Humour and Charm: As with all of Michael Bond’s Paddington books, Paddington Abroad is written in a light, humorous style. The charm of the series comes from Paddington’s innocence and politeness, which often contrasts with the chaos his actions unintentionally cause.
• Accessible Language: Bond’s straightforward, clear writing makes the book accessible to children, while the wit and gentle satire appeal to adult readers as well.

Legacy:

Paddington Abroad is a delightful continuation of Paddington’s adventures and is notable for expanding the bear’s world beyond London. It helped solidify Paddington’s status as a beloved character not just in Britain but around the world. The book’s themes of travel and cultural exchange remain relevant, and Paddington’s misadventures in France provide timeless, universal humour.

For readers who love Paddington’s heart-warming and funny tales, Paddington Abroad offers a new backdrop for the bear’s classic antics and remains a popular entry in the series.

Why Collect This Edition?

Signed editions of the ‘Paddington’ series are scarce in any form and this is a very good copy indeed.

Michael Bond: A Short Biography

Michael Bond was a British author best known for creating Paddington Bear, one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature. His career as a writer spanned over six decades, during which he wrote numerous Paddington books, as well as other works for children and adults.

Early Life and Career:

• Born: January 13, 1926, in Newbury, Berkshire, England.
• Bond grew up in Reading, Berkshire, where his love for storytelling began. He was an avid reader and had an early fascination with writing, though he initially pursued other careers.
• During World War II, Bond served in the Royal Air Force and later worked as a camera operator for the BBC.

Creation of Paddington Bear:

• The idea for Paddington Bear came to Michael Bond in 1956, when he saw a lonely teddy bear sitting on a shelf in a London shop near Paddington Station. Bond bought the bear as a gift for his wife and was inspired to create a character around it.
• Bond wrote the first book, A Bear Called Paddington, in just ten days. It was published in 1958, introducing the world to the small bear from Darkest Peru who arrives at Paddington Station with a note that reads, “Please look after this bear. Thank you.”
• The Paddington books were an immediate success, with readers falling in love with the bear’s politeness, curiosity, and well-meaning mishaps. Bond’s witty, warm writing style and the gentle humour of Paddington’s adventures made the series timeless.

Paddington Bear’s Impact:

• The Paddington Bear series has been translated into over 40 languages and has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide.
• Bond wrote more than 20 books about Paddington, including sequels such as More About Paddington, Paddington Helps Out, and Paddington at Large.
• Paddington became a British cultural icon, and the stories were adapted into multiple TV series, stage productions, and two highly successful live-action films, Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017), with Ben Whishaw providing the voice of Paddington.

Other Works:

• While Paddington Bear was his most famous creation, Michael Bond also wrote other children’s books. His series about Olga da Polga, a guinea pig with a lively imagination, was another favourite.
• Bond also wrote for adult audiences, including a series of detective novels featuring Monsieur Pamplemousse, a retired French detective and food critic who solves culinary-related mysteries with his loyal bloodhound, Pommes Frites.

Personal Life:

• Bond lived much of his life in London, close to Paddington Station, which played such a crucial role in inspiring his most famous creation.
• Despite his success as a writer, Bond remained modest and down-to-earth. He often expressed that he wrote Paddington stories because they made him happy, and he was always delighted by the bear’s popularity with readers of all ages.

Awards and Honours:

• In recognition of his contribution to children’s literature, Michael Bond was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1997 and later a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2015.
• Paddington Bear’s influence has extended far beyond literature. In 2000, a statue of Paddington was unveiled at Paddington Station, and the character remains a beloved figure in British culture.

Death and Legacy:

• Michael Bond passed away on June 27, 2017, at the age of 91. His legacy endures through the enduring popularity of Paddington Bear, who continues to delight new generations of readers and viewers.
• Bond’s ability to create a character who embodied kindness, curiosity, and good manners made Paddington a universally beloved figure, one that resonated with readers across cultures and ages.

Bond’s warm, humorous stories have left a lasting impact, and his creation of Paddington Bear has cemented him as one of the great figures in 20th-century children’s literature.

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