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Paddington #11.95
Paddington and the Grand Tour
The classic bear from Darkest Peru, who was found on Paddington Station, returns for a day of London sightseeing in this hilarious picture book!
With his suitcase packed full of marmalade sandwiches and Mrs Bird’s umbrella (in case it rains), Paddington sets out for a day of sightseeing with his friend, Mr Gruber. How can he know that the tourists will think he’s their tour guide? And how is he to guess that they will follow him everywhere?
With his suitcase packed full of marmalade sandwiches and Mrs Bird’s umbrella (in case it rains), Paddington sets out for a day of sightseeing with his friend, Mr Gruber. How can he know that the tourists will think he’s their tour guide? And how is he to guess that they will follow him everywhere?
32 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2003
4 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bond
643 books417 followersMichael Bond, CBE was an English children's author. He was the creator of Paddington Bear and wrote about the adventures of a guinea pig named Olga da Polga, as well as the animated BBC TV series The Herbs. Bond also wrote culinary mystery stories for adults featuring Monsieur Pamplemousse and his faithful bloodhound, Pommes Frites.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 30, 2024
Silly Paddington!
October 29, 2022
3/10 hearts. I’m apparently not fond of the Paddington children’s version. This one disappointed me because I wanted the London tour and instead I just got some Paddington-induced shenanigans (which didn’t make any sense—who thinks jumping on a bus is ok??) and a cute-ish wrap-up that kinda felt like Paddington getting away with speaking too fast again. I don’t know, I have to be in the right mood for Paddington and I only like selected stories—when things actually make sense for him to mess up.
March 15, 2021
Ich bin nicht der größte Fan von "idiot plots". Das hier ist leider einer und die Kinderbuch-Komik, die daraus gewonnen wird, hält sich in Grenzen. Der Fremdenführer weiß nicht, dass man in Peru Spanisch spricht, die Touristen kommen nicht auf die Idee, sich über Paddingtons Unwissenheit zu wundern, am Ende versuchen sich Mr Brown und Paddington zu "verstecken" während ihnen Menschen direkt auf den Fersen sind - alles nur, damit genau das passieren kann, was der Autor gerne hätte. Kommt noch dazu, dass alle handelnden Figuren männlich sind, mit Ausnahme zweier Frauen, die sich beschweren.
January 15, 2019
In this adventure Paddington joins his friend Mr Gruber on a tour of London. Not surprisingly he packs a suitcase full of marmalade sandwiches to go with him and he also takes Mrs Bird's umbrella in case it rains.
On the way to join the tour bus they stop in a park and Paddington eats his sandwiches while Mr Gruber shows him some photographs of the places he wants to visit on what he called the 'Hop-On - Hop Off bus'. When they arrive to board the bus Paddington is surprised to discover that it has no roof. 'I think the driver must have gone under a low bridge by mistake,' he exclaimed. Mr Gruber explains that it is made that way so that passengers have a good view of the sights.
Paddington tries to get a guide book in Peruvian from the bus inspector and while he is doing so the tourists rush onto the bus and claim all the upstairs seats. Paddington tries to say, '... I'm forming a que ...' but nobody takes any notice of him. He then expains to everyone that it is a hop-on hop-off bus which means that the passengers look at the view and then hop off!
Chaos ensues as once the tour begins people hop off the bus and the surrounding area 'looks like a battlefield', according to Mr Gruber. So he takes Paddington away to a little tea shop where he says they can read the guide book given them 'until the fuss dies down'.
By then it is raining so Paddington raises Mr Bird's umbrella to keep dry. In the tea shop everyone else gathers and Paddington and Mr Gruber get no peace; 'I'm beginning to wish I had brought my disguise outfit,' declares Mr Gruber!
The reason that everyone has gathered around Paddington is that they think he is the tour captain because they say tour captains always hold up their umbrella to show who they are. 'I'm not a tour captain. I'm a bear,' said Paddington, most annoyed. But the tourists think that the hopping on and off the bus is a quaint old English custom and when they discover that it isn't, they are too late for the bus has moved on.
In ture Paddington tradition, he saves the day as he arranges for Mr Gruber to show his photographs while he reads the relevant entries from the (English language) guide book that the bus inspector had given him. Everyone is pleased with the outcome and one man says, 'The exercise has done us good. I haven't felt so fit in years.'
And after it is all over Paddington considers a future career as a tour captain when he is old enough. He says, 'It seems a very good job for a rainy day. Especially if you have your own umbrella!'
Once again beautifully illustrated but the storyline is not quite as good as many of the others.
On the way to join the tour bus they stop in a park and Paddington eats his sandwiches while Mr Gruber shows him some photographs of the places he wants to visit on what he called the 'Hop-On - Hop Off bus'. When they arrive to board the bus Paddington is surprised to discover that it has no roof. 'I think the driver must have gone under a low bridge by mistake,' he exclaimed. Mr Gruber explains that it is made that way so that passengers have a good view of the sights.
Paddington tries to get a guide book in Peruvian from the bus inspector and while he is doing so the tourists rush onto the bus and claim all the upstairs seats. Paddington tries to say, '... I'm forming a que ...' but nobody takes any notice of him. He then expains to everyone that it is a hop-on hop-off bus which means that the passengers look at the view and then hop off!
Chaos ensues as once the tour begins people hop off the bus and the surrounding area 'looks like a battlefield', according to Mr Gruber. So he takes Paddington away to a little tea shop where he says they can read the guide book given them 'until the fuss dies down'.
By then it is raining so Paddington raises Mr Bird's umbrella to keep dry. In the tea shop everyone else gathers and Paddington and Mr Gruber get no peace; 'I'm beginning to wish I had brought my disguise outfit,' declares Mr Gruber!
The reason that everyone has gathered around Paddington is that they think he is the tour captain because they say tour captains always hold up their umbrella to show who they are. 'I'm not a tour captain. I'm a bear,' said Paddington, most annoyed. But the tourists think that the hopping on and off the bus is a quaint old English custom and when they discover that it isn't, they are too late for the bus has moved on.
In ture Paddington tradition, he saves the day as he arranges for Mr Gruber to show his photographs while he reads the relevant entries from the (English language) guide book that the bus inspector had given him. Everyone is pleased with the outcome and one man says, 'The exercise has done us good. I haven't felt so fit in years.'
And after it is all over Paddington considers a future career as a tour captain when he is old enough. He says, 'It seems a very good job for a rainy day. Especially if you have your own umbrella!'
Once again beautifully illustrated but the storyline is not quite as good as many of the others.
October 1, 2020
Purchase Paddington and the Grand Tour here for just $7!
'Michael Bond's accident-prone bear has become one of the most enduring of children's characters.'
-The Bookseller
'Michael Bond's accident-prone bear has become one of the most enduring of children's characters.'
-The Bookseller
November 18, 2025
I should have flipped through it before buying it because, silly me, I actually thought it was about Paddington going on a grand tour of London.. I bought this as a souvenir for my niece while we were visiting the city. I think she’ll still enjoy the drawing, there’s lots to see and maybe even the silly story but it is not what I hoped/expected.
March 26, 2018
I adore Paddington for his mannerism, his aura and his genteelness. Reading this series feels like going home once again.
May 5, 2019
This took me back to my days as a tour guide - the umbrellas were essential! :-D
July 31, 2020
Lovely to listen on a short episode of Paddington.
September 26, 2021
read this with aoife cheefs. lovely story. wonderful bear. actually has an enjoyable plot which is a win as far as some children’s books go.
November 9, 2021
wholesome
November 2, 2024
A very charming book and a rare one indeed. Paddington might as well be one of my favorite fictional bears. He's very kind and sincere.
March 12, 2025
Fenomenalne ilustracije i jedva prosečna priča.
September 30, 2025
Felt the grand tour could have been a bit longer but wow I really enjoyed this one to help me cool down after being busy with house stuff.
Paddington is definately one funny bear.
Paddington is definately one funny bear.
February 10, 2026
They loved it as an opener for making marmalade sandwiches but got a little lost because they didn’t understand what a tour party was really.
April 24, 2023
Je ne lis visiblement pas les albums dans l'ordre, car Paddington a un meilleur ami dans celui-ci que je ne connais pas du tout, mais cela n'a aucune importance. C'est vraiment le genre d'histoire qui peut se lire indépendamment et j'apprécie cela.
Notre ourson se retrouve donc avec M. Gruber pour une petite promenade touristique à Londres. Une première pour notre héros et il est bien décidé à partir préparé : sandwichs et parapluie de rigueur. Mais arrivés devant le bus à impérial, tout ne se passe pas comme prévu. Des touristes un peu remuants et la pluie viennent quelque peu bousculer les plans des deux amis.
Ce que j'adore, en plus de la bienveillance globale, c'est ce côté très british de l'histoire. Je ne saurais pas trop comment l'expliquer mais dans les situations un peu cocasses, cette façon de se moquer gentiment, tout en gardant l'étiquette, je trouve cela adorable et coquet. Et puis, on ne peut pas résister à Paddington et ses mimiques. Il est absolument trognon dans son ciré bleu et ses bottes jaunes et décidément, rien ne se passe jamais comme prévu avec lui.
Mais c'est aussi un gros atout du personnage, car il y a toujours un petit quelque chose qui transforme une situation qui part en cacahuète en quelque chose de nouveau et charmant. Et moi j'adore.
Notre ourson se retrouve donc avec M. Gruber pour une petite promenade touristique à Londres. Une première pour notre héros et il est bien décidé à partir préparé : sandwichs et parapluie de rigueur. Mais arrivés devant le bus à impérial, tout ne se passe pas comme prévu. Des touristes un peu remuants et la pluie viennent quelque peu bousculer les plans des deux amis.
Ce que j'adore, en plus de la bienveillance globale, c'est ce côté très british de l'histoire. Je ne saurais pas trop comment l'expliquer mais dans les situations un peu cocasses, cette façon de se moquer gentiment, tout en gardant l'étiquette, je trouve cela adorable et coquet. Et puis, on ne peut pas résister à Paddington et ses mimiques. Il est absolument trognon dans son ciré bleu et ses bottes jaunes et décidément, rien ne se passe jamais comme prévu avec lui.
Mais c'est aussi un gros atout du personnage, car il y a toujours un petit quelque chose qui transforme une situation qui part en cacahuète en quelque chose de nouveau et charmant. Et moi j'adore.
July 18, 2011
Illustrator: Bob Alley
Publisher: Harpers Collins Children's Books
Year: 2003
Interest Level: K-2
Reading Level: 2-3
Paddington is a classic character from the United Kingdom (well, technically his character came from Peru to the United Kingdom). I found this book in Oxford, England and thought it would be cute to share with children before visiting London. It was for my collection of books that I have in case I have my own children some day. The plot is not spectacular, and the reader does not even get exposed to actual sites. Most of the focus is that Paddington is mistaken for a tour guide of a double decker bus. There are some fun play-on-words similar to Amelia Bedelia (but not as frequent). Tourists are depicted as not being very smart, but that might be part of making Paddington look like the “hero” of the text. Having heard of Paddington, but not knowing a lot about Paddington, I was not very impressed with the plot. I bought it more as a token souvenir because Paddington is famous with children's literature and from England, so I added it to my growing personal collection of children's books.
Publisher: Harpers Collins Children's Books
Year: 2003
Interest Level: K-2
Reading Level: 2-3
Paddington is a classic character from the United Kingdom (well, technically his character came from Peru to the United Kingdom). I found this book in Oxford, England and thought it would be cute to share with children before visiting London. It was for my collection of books that I have in case I have my own children some day. The plot is not spectacular, and the reader does not even get exposed to actual sites. Most of the focus is that Paddington is mistaken for a tour guide of a double decker bus. There are some fun play-on-words similar to Amelia Bedelia (but not as frequent). Tourists are depicted as not being very smart, but that might be part of making Paddington look like the “hero” of the text. Having heard of Paddington, but not knowing a lot about Paddington, I was not very impressed with the plot. I bought it more as a token souvenir because Paddington is famous with children's literature and from England, so I added it to my growing personal collection of children's books.
October 14, 2020
This is a larger sized and fully illustrated book for children and the young at heart adult to read. The illustrations are so cute and fun to look at which was my motivation for reading them in the first place! Paddington is adorable in this series of books for kids who are advancing with their reading.
Mr Gruber decides to take Paddington on a bus tour of London and they get there early to get a good seat. However chaos starts to erupt when the brash and loud group of tourists mistake him for the tour guide and start following him around London.
Mr Gruber decides to take Paddington on a bus tour of London and they get there early to get a good seat. However chaos starts to erupt when the brash and loud group of tourists mistake him for the tour guide and start following him around London.
December 24, 2011
31 months - found for 50 cents at the thrift store. I was excited to introduce Olivia to Paddington Bear but this story is disappointing. And I don't thing it conveys the charm of PB and O has never asked to read it since the first time. I hope I can find another story that she can get excited about this adorable bear.
April 9, 2010
Peggy Fortnum will always be the Paddington illustrator for me but Bob Alley's work is loving and detailed and comfortable in a way that I find vastly appealing. And he even does a creditable version of the 'hard stare'.
May 4, 2015
Mr Gruber wants to take Paddington on a hop-on-hop-off tour bus, but when Paddington is left in the queue while the Tour Guide goes to look for a guidebook in Peruvian the bear is mistaken for the Tour Guide.... very amusing.
September 9, 2019
Paddington Karhu on lähdössä herra Gruberin kanssa retkelle, mutta kaikki ei luonnollisestikaan mene alkuperäisten suunnitelmien mukaan. Tässä kuvakirjassa on ihanan leppoisa tunnelma ja suloista karhumaista filosofiaa.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews