Paddington’s Finest Hour review with Harper and Collins summer tour
Fall in love with Paddington again with Paddington’s Finest Hour
This summer I had the pleasure of teaming up with Harper and Collins as part of their summer reads book tour. Myself and 10 other bloggers are sharing some of the best books to get your children inspired and reading over the summer holiday. We were delighted to be reading Paddington’s Finest Hour by Micheal Bond. This beloved bear does it again with a run in with the local police, a stint on a TV cooking show and an appearance on stage with a hypnotist.
Sadly Micheal Bond the creator of this famous little bear passed away just recently at the age of 91. Micheal came up with the idea for Paddington on Christmas Eve whilst shopping in London. He saw a bear on a shelf in Selfridges store and he felt sorry for it. He took him home as a present for his wife where he was named Paddington as the couple lived near Paddington station at the time. In 1997 Micheal Bond was honoured an OBE for his services to children’s literature.
“Please look after this bear, thank you” Micheal Bond
“Bears always fall on their feet”
Who does not have a memory of Paddington from there childhood? Everyone I spoke too has said “I love Paddington” from old and young alike.
Myself as a small child had a Paddington bear, he had a little suitcase with felt sandwiches in and red wellie boots. Everybody knows the tune to the TV series and remembers with laughter the crease of his hair when he removed his hat.
In fact one of my friends said she used to rush home from school for the show in hope he would take his hat off!
My Nan had a beloved Paddington bear and we took him out for a trip to London. Whilst nestling him amongst the telephone boxes I thought I would get some strange stares much like Paddington would give, but no! everyone proclaimed how sweet ” I love Paddington ” and joined me in taking photos.
Paddington’s Finest Hour
From the first book ” a bear called Paddington” to “Paddington’s finest hour” not much has changed for Paddington . This cute little bear still has his same quirky little way’s, his cute outfit and his witty way of thinking. The books are written with such humour it is hard to not to fall in love with this little bear from Peru.
On running an errand to post a letter for Mr and Mrs Brown Paddington looks very suspicious and get in to a bit of bother with the local police.
” The word ‘marmalade’ kept cropping up” added by someone else “It could be a code word of some kind”
I love the way Paddington is so eager to please, helping Mr curry in the garden was no mean feat. His conversation with the neighbour Mr Curry had us in fits. He is just like a small child not getting the right end of the stick and always putting his foot in it.
His stint in the TV cooking show is so funny but somehow again Paddington is a success.
“A marmalade sandwich” repeated Sir Percivel. “whats it doing on the top of your head?”
Paddington even goes on a trip to the dry cleaners where he is bemused by the trend of holes in jeans. ( so am I ) Next stop a he pops to Portobello Road to stock up on Buns.
Lastly a trip to the theatre that sees him on stage with a hypnotist. When Paddington gives him the best of his darkest Peru stares, you will be rather surprised at the results.
“Bear’s stares last for a long time, but they don’t last forever”
Follow up on a trip to London and visit Paddington himself
After reading Paddington’s finest hour you could have a day trip to London’s Paddington station. Under the clock tower on Platform 1 you will find a bronze statue of paddington where the Browns met him in the film. You could always pop over to the Paddington bear shop on the lawn too for some Paddington souvenirs as well.
There are another 9 other great books on the tour this summer, check out the other blog’s or use the #HCSummerReads to find more reviews.
For your chance to win the summer reads book bundle which includes Paddington bears finest hour, enter the competition below.
The giveaway is open to UK entrants only and closes on the 30th of July at midday
Happy reading
For more book reviews see here.
D x
This was a review collaboration with Harper and Collins, all opinion’s are my own.
My favourite book was Tom Browns school days, my dad used to read it to me xx
Harry Potter books
famous five
Lovely book!
My favourite book was Matilda by Roald Dahl
I always love The Faraway Tree!
I loved that too!
my favourite books were Goodnight Mr Tom and also the Mrs Pepperpot Series
Charlie and the chocolate factory x
Love love love it! My son was in the show in London too! X
I loved so many, but I think the Laura Ingalls Wilder books were probably my favourite. Still love them now!!
any billy bunter book Oh Crikey!
Oh The Places You’ll Go – Dr Seuss
The BFG by Roald Dahl always was my absolute favourite when I was a little girl x
I love Roald Dahl!
mog the cat
The Worst Witch
I liked Enid Blyton books or any books about boarding schools 🙂
So did I!
Harry Potter
I have such fond memories of reading Paddington. It would be hard to choose just one book as my favourite, I loved to read as a child. Some of my favourites were Beatrix Potter, Enid Blyton and the Frog and Toad books.
Supporting Women with Autism through pregnancy and beyond
How lovely I agree, so many great authors.x
St. Clare’s by Enid blyton
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton (I still own it and the rest in the series!) 🙂
Any book by Shirley Hughes was a favourite.
the magic porridge pot x i still love it
I loved Just William
The Secret Seven, and all Enid Blyton books
Roald Dahl always were my absolute favorite
Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo
I loved Rosemary Manning’s Green Smoke series, Susan Cooper’s The Dark is rising, Anne of Green Gables, the Famous Five, and so many others.
Mallory Towers series by Enid Blyton. Read them over and over…and now bought them for my kids. 😀
it was a book called flossie teacake
My favourite book as a child was The Little Princess
At the moment, it is The Mouse Who Reached the Sky by Petr Horacek.
Harry Potter
the famous five books
Has to be Harry Potter series
I loved the Mr Men books
I love David walliams books!
Black Beauty
My favourite book when I was a child was Roald Dahl’s James and the giant peach xxx
Harry Potter for me!!!
Wind in the willows
When you give a mouse a cookie
The Milly Molly books
I loved reading the Famous Five books and The Secret Garden.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
I remember reading noddy and his car. The first book I read
Alice in Wonderland
secret seven
Children of the New Forest
Mallory Towers by Enid Blyton
The Railway Children
My favourite book is The Magic Faraway Tree
The Faraway Tree is mine
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
the wind in the willows
The magic faraway tree!
Loved Heidi when I was little x
I loved Back Home by Michelle Magorian
the wishing powder
Matilda
So many – possibly Little Women or any of the Famous Five books
James and the giant peach
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was mine
I loved the Mallory Towers series, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven.
The railway children
Mine is still The Tiger Who Came To Tea
I loved Milly Molly Mandy as a child – I always wanted to live in the White Cottage!
i have fond memories of matilda & the twits
any of ENID BLYTONS FAMOUS FIVE BOOKS
My favourite book has always been The Hobbit
I loved The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, and all the series. I would spend hours pouring over the pictures and words.
I love The Famous Five
Enjoyed :- Famous Five by Enid Blyton
The very Hungry Caterpillar – the pictures are lovely
Winnie the Pooh
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
Richard Scarrys- Busy Busy World
I loved Danny the champion of the world as a kid
Harry Potter
The BFG
Alice in Wonderland was always my favourite, but I really liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…must be all the escapism?
Green eggs and ham by Dr Seuss
Peter Pan! It’s just so magical, and full of adventures, and there’s new things every time you read it!
My favourite book as a child was a book called ‘Goldfish’s Day Out’
The Twits by Roald Dahl
The book I remember most is ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker’.
The Magic Faraway Tree
Five on a Treasure Island, Enid Bl;yton
My favourite book was the Tale of Georgie Grub, but there are so many wonderful children’s authors around now. Kids have never had it so good!
i always loved roald dahl books
The Magic Faraway Tree, my imagination was and still is inspired!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The Hobbit
I’m so glad kids are still reading Paddington Bear, he was always one of my favourites as a child! My favourite was also anything Roald Dahl, especially the Twits which I thought was hilarious.
https://www.dreamofhome.co.uk
What a wonderful post – I also had a toy Paddington as a child, complete with red wellingtons – and I loved him! I’m looking forward to introducing him to my son too. #KLTR
I love The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe! It reminds me of reading with my mum!
I loved Enid Blyton books when I was young and The Chronicles of Narnia when I got a bit older.
Loved Paddington too
#KLTR
when i was little i adored a book called ‘oh what a busy day’ – i still love kids books eg ruby redfort series by lauren child is fab!
Ladybird books especially the 3 LITTLE pigs
The Twits
The Famous Five by Enid Blyton
My daughters favourite book is Georges Marvellous Medicine
i loved enid blyton books, faraway tree secret seven and famous five!
I loved The Golden Compass
The Tiger Who Came To Tea! Still stands out for me 🙂
What a Mess! Loved that book!
My favourite book was Matilda
My favourite was Roald Dahl – The Witches, I remember loving it but being terrified st the same time, always looking out for women with purple eyes!
Roald dahl books. Love Paddington too. #kltr
Winnie The Pooh
I used to love the Faraway Tree series it was so exciting. I even bought the set for my daughter to read 😁
The Jolly Postman
I loved the Mallory Tower books by Enid Blyton.
Alice in wonderland
I liked Heidi and the famous five books
I loved the magicians nephew
George’s Marvellous Medicine
Enid Blyton’s first Famous Five book. It was and still is a super children’s read.
My favourite childhood book was Alice in Wonderland. What an amazing story. It definitely sparked my love of reading.
Charlottes Web
I loved the Faraway Tree series as a child! The more fantastical the story, the more I seemed to enjoy it as a young child. When I got a bit older, it was all the boarding school series like Mallory Towers that I devoured.
The Faraway Tree books
Enid Blyton – all of them !
Shock for the Secret Seven
I loved the BFG and Matilda
I love all the Harry Potter books x
Fantastic Mr Fox 🙂
I really loved the Milly Molly Mandy stories as a small child. They’re just so gentle and idyllic.
The jolly postman
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton
Roger Red Hat
I loved the Faraway tree x
The Famous Five series
The Book of Lyonne – Drake Burgess
i loved the narnia books, especially the lion the witch and the wardrobe
Mallory Towers
Has to be Matilda
the jolly postman
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie :0
The Secret Island by Enid Blyton
Tom’s midnight garden
I loved Enid Blyton’s adventure books, but my favourite single book is The Hobbit.
For myself it has to be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
Charlie and the chocolate factory
I used to love puddle lane books
The faraway tree
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The famous five books
my favourite book was Matilda, I still love it now and always wanted to be able to move things like her!
Pickles the Pony
The famous five books
I always loved Watership Down, so sad though
My favourite childhood book is Hansel and Gretel
The Famous Five series.
My favourite was basically any Famous Five book.
The secret garden
Alice in wonderland
Noddy holds a special place in my heart as my Grandma bought some Noddy books at a jumble sale and taught me to read from them before I started school.
It started a lifelong passion for books and reading which I am now encouraging in my grandchildren with Nan’s library 🙂
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Any of the Enid Blyton books
The twits!!! I loved it x
The jolly postman
I loved Charlotte’s Web when I was little.
We love The Faraway Tree
I loved Enid Blyton, so would have to say Famous Five
Mr Men books
Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree
mog and the baby!!
I just love reading to my nephew, he’s learning so fast, running out of material for him lol!
I used to love Mercedes Ice by Philip Ridley.
Mallory Towers by Enid Blyton
I had an old book called shadow the sheepdog by Enid blyton I really loved that book
Loved Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series
My favourite book was Alice in Wonderland
Little Miss Books
Mine was called Walter Duck and Winifred.
Anything by Enid Blyton tops my list, especially the faraway tree
the secret garden
Alice in Wonderland
wizard of oz
I loved the Brer Rabbit books when I was a kid
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
Georges marvellous medicine by Roald Dahl
Dogger, because I loved my toy dog as a child! Then, I could barely read it to my daughter without sobbing!
The magic faraway tree
My favorite book was The Jolly Postman 🙂
The Paddington books are so lovely. I’ve never been to Paddington station though, will have to try and go next time I’m in London. #kltr
Paddingtons statue is pretty cute x
What a great tour. Paddington is a fantastic character. #kltr
Thank you , he is a character isn’t he!
Do you know I never read any Paddington books as a child, I must correct this with my children! Thanks for linking up to #KLTR
I did like reading Paddington bear as a child. This post brought fond memories. Thanks for sharing with #KLTR