Michael Bond was born in Newbury, Berkshire on 13 January 1926 and educated at Presentation College, Reading. He served in the Royal Air Force and the British Army before working as a cameraman for BBC TV for 19 years. In 2015, Michael was awarded a CBE for his services to children’s literature, to add to the OBE he received in 1997. Michael died in 2017, leaving behind one of the great literary legacies of our time.

Praise for the Paddington series:‘I’ve always had great respect for Paddington…He is a British institution.’ Stephen Fry‘Paddington has joined Pooh as one of the great bears of English children’s literature.’ The Teacher‘Michael Bond’s accident-prone bear…has become one of the most enduring of children’s characters.’ The Bookseller