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Paddington #1-15
The Classic Adventures Of Paddington Bear The Complete Collection
Celebrate Paddington’s 60th Anniversary with this exquisite volume, bringing together all fifteen of the classic novels about the much-loved bear from Darkest Peru.
Paddington Bear has been delighting adults and children alike with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures for over sixty years. To celebrate his enduring popularity, the complete collection of fifteen novels are brought together for the very first time in this beautifully illustrated keepsake book. A must-have for readers everywhere, to be treasured from generation to generation.
This very special treasury contains:
A Bear Called Paddington
More About Paddington
Paddington Helps Out
Paddington Abroad
Paddington at Large
Paddington Marches On
Paddington at Work
Paddington Goes to Town
Paddington Takes the Air
Paddington on Top
Paddington Takes the Test
Paddington Here and Now
Paddington Races Ahead
Love from Paddington
Paddington’s Finest Hour
Paddington Bear has been delighting adults and children alike with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures for over sixty years. To celebrate his enduring popularity, the complete collection of fifteen novels are brought together for the very first time in this beautifully illustrated keepsake book. A must-have for readers everywhere, to be treasured from generation to generation.
This very special treasury contains:
A Bear Called Paddington
More About Paddington
Paddington Helps Out
Paddington Abroad
Paddington at Large
Paddington Marches On
Paddington at Work
Paddington Goes to Town
Paddington Takes the Air
Paddington on Top
Paddington Takes the Test
Paddington Here and Now
Paddington Races Ahead
Love from Paddington
Paddington’s Finest Hour
Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
11 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bond
638 books410 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 19, 2025
Paddington is the sweetest, most innocent and pure fictional character that's ever been made, and I love him so much. 😭
The last few books, written almost thirty years after the original series, aren't quite as good (some of the stories are too confusing 😅), but I can't give Paddington anything less than 5 stars. 😭
The last few books, written almost thirty years after the original series, aren't quite as good (some of the stories are too confusing 😅), but I can't give Paddington anything less than 5 stars. 😭
March 19, 2022
I love Paddington!! I did listen to a lot of these on audio while following along - the ones read by Hugh Bonneville are my favorites. Then of course the Stephen Fry ones are great as well. The few by Jim broadbent aren't bad or anything, but he changes volume too often and some parts seem whispered while others are shouted, which is not my favorite listening experience.
Surprisingly, I think the more recently published ones have the most questionable content (uncle pastuzo, for example, is a walking stereotype and I hate it). But overall it's just so fun to see all the trouble Paddington gets into. He's that sort of bear 🤣🐻
I think my favorite it the fourth, Paddington abroad. I generally like the stories/chapters where they go on day trips, so an entire vacation book was great! I don't remember if I read some of these as a kid, but I very much enjoyed them as an adult. Definitely the sort of thing to return to on a bad day or during a reading slump.
Also this boxed set is obviously beautiful. I stored it with all the spines facing in, and flipped them around as I read them so it slowly formed the picture. It made me feel very accomplished 😂 I'm glad I took my time with these and spread out all the books, though it's very tempting to just read them all in a row. So cute. Now I have to check out the movies (I'm honestly sold entirely on peter capaldi as Mr curry 🤣🤣)
Surprisingly, I think the more recently published ones have the most questionable content (uncle pastuzo, for example, is a walking stereotype and I hate it). But overall it's just so fun to see all the trouble Paddington gets into. He's that sort of bear 🤣🐻
I think my favorite it the fourth, Paddington abroad. I generally like the stories/chapters where they go on day trips, so an entire vacation book was great! I don't remember if I read some of these as a kid, but I very much enjoyed them as an adult. Definitely the sort of thing to return to on a bad day or during a reading slump.
Also this boxed set is obviously beautiful. I stored it with all the spines facing in, and flipped them around as I read them so it slowly formed the picture. It made me feel very accomplished 😂 I'm glad I took my time with these and spread out all the books, though it's very tempting to just read them all in a row. So cute. Now I have to check out the movies (I'm honestly sold entirely on peter capaldi as Mr curry 🤣🤣)
September 26, 2024
Paddington has two problems due to his longevity:
1) The language and the London Bond was writing about in the 50s has moved at pace since and,
2) Modernising Paddington to remain forever young but forever relevant means a decerning child will soon have to learn to suspend their disbelief
Ironically, it is the more modern releases which have the greater issues. Bond feels like he is writing out of his time when trying to modernise the work and, at points, seems to resent the process. There are also, shall we say, interesting characters that get introduced who are pastiches of stereotypes rather than the softer, kinder portrayal of an Upper-Middle class family and the small world they inhabited in the earlier books.
As the world got bigger, modernising Paddington within the existing framework of the stories must have become more and more challenging. The references to things like mobile phones - described by an author who seems decidedly unsure of them - have become so outdated as technology flies past us all and Paddington almost becomes the author's self-insert. The gripes Bond has with the modern world seem to flow from the mouth of our favourite bear much more than when he lived solely in the '50s.
Which is why, I believe, the optimum strategy is to read up to and including Paddington On Top before stopping and watching the films to see how a modern Paddington could, and perhaps should, work.
1) The language and the London Bond was writing about in the 50s has moved at pace since and,
2) Modernising Paddington to remain forever young but forever relevant means a decerning child will soon have to learn to suspend their disbelief
Ironically, it is the more modern releases which have the greater issues. Bond feels like he is writing out of his time when trying to modernise the work and, at points, seems to resent the process. There are also, shall we say, interesting characters that get introduced who are pastiches of stereotypes rather than the softer, kinder portrayal of an Upper-Middle class family and the small world they inhabited in the earlier books.
As the world got bigger, modernising Paddington within the existing framework of the stories must have become more and more challenging. The references to things like mobile phones - described by an author who seems decidedly unsure of them - have become so outdated as technology flies past us all and Paddington almost becomes the author's self-insert. The gripes Bond has with the modern world seem to flow from the mouth of our favourite bear much more than when he lived solely in the '50s.
Which is why, I believe, the optimum strategy is to read up to and including Paddington On Top before stopping and watching the films to see how a modern Paddington could, and perhaps should, work.
June 25, 2022
I confess, I did not make it to the end of the final book. With one partial exception, the quality of the stories deteriorates after those written in the '60's -- and Bond continued with the series up to his death in 2017 (he was 91). In the last few books, some of the stories don't even make much sense. The poor old guy must really have been slipping. To add insult to injury, the last several books also lose the wonderful sketch art of Peggy Fortnum (still featured on the covers), replaced due to her slide into dementia by R.W. Alley and his cartoon-y style. Much like going from the original illustrations of Winnie The Pooh by E.H. Shepard to Disney.
But, make no mistake, the first half-dozen of the Paddington books are delightful. I well remember their charm from my own boyhood and from reading them to our children. By all means, make sure your childrens' libraries include these wonderful little books. But don't, as I did, buy the complete set. The only one of the later books possibly worth having is "Love From Paddington," in which the switch of format (a retelling of earlier stories in the guise of Paddington's letters to Aunt Lucy) apparently revived Bond's writing.
But, make no mistake, the first half-dozen of the Paddington books are delightful. I well remember their charm from my own boyhood and from reading them to our children. By all means, make sure your childrens' libraries include these wonderful little books. But don't, as I did, buy the complete set. The only one of the later books possibly worth having is "Love From Paddington," in which the switch of format (a retelling of earlier stories in the guise of Paddington's letters to Aunt Lucy) apparently revived Bond's writing.
March 10, 2024
Books 1-11 are utterly delightful. I often found myself laughing out loud at Paddington's charming antics, which have a lovely timeless quality to them. The plotting of every chapter is perfect, each one a mini mystery, where you're wondering how exactly Paddington will land on his feet. I'd award those original 11 sets of adventures five stars each and recommend them to everyone ❤️
But books 12-15 I found to be less charming, as a 21st century cynicism creeps in, with a streak of meanness (Mr Curry comes across as vindictive rather than the roguish chancer of old), and a state of the nation commentary that doesn't sit well with the characters established in the 1958 original. For example, in one chapter, the Browns are harassed by the police for no good reason - Paddington says ACAB (a redeeming quality) - while on their way to post Mr Brown's tax return(!).
I also thought the writing of these four later books, particularly the last two, was marred by lazy plotting that stretched credulity (yes, I know they're books about a talking bear, but still!) and rehashed old adventures (book 14 is a pointless collection of truncated retellings of old adventures), relying too much on clichéd phrasing and clunky exposition. Because of that, I knocked a star off the overall rating.
But books 12-15 I found to be less charming, as a 21st century cynicism creeps in, with a streak of meanness (Mr Curry comes across as vindictive rather than the roguish chancer of old), and a state of the nation commentary that doesn't sit well with the characters established in the 1958 original. For example, in one chapter, the Browns are harassed by the police for no good reason - Paddington says ACAB (a redeeming quality) - while on their way to post Mr Brown's tax return(!).
I also thought the writing of these four later books, particularly the last two, was marred by lazy plotting that stretched credulity (yes, I know they're books about a talking bear, but still!) and rehashed old adventures (book 14 is a pointless collection of truncated retellings of old adventures), relying too much on clichéd phrasing and clunky exposition. Because of that, I knocked a star off the overall rating.
February 7, 2023
Simple Brilliant
May 6, 2025
We are big Paddington fans!
November 24, 2025
i just love this bear!! 🧸💌
Want to read
September 5, 2023I received this collection of 15 Paddington Bear books on 5 Sep 2023 just after I finished putting the last book from our home library into Goodreads! It must have been my reward!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews