The stuffed bear looked a little forlorn. “But how did you get to Paddington Station?” “A bear from the wild bushlands of Africa!” He hammered out a few more sentences on his typewriter. After pondering it for a moment, he guessed Paddington was an African bear. “What kind of bear are you?” Michael wondered. And for every question Michael asked, his imagination provided the answer. While he wrote the first Paddington story, he asked questions of his stuffed companion. Michael talked to Paddington Bear who sat perched on the fireplace. Where did bears live? Why would a bear travel to London? Would the bear want to visit museums or would he want to find a new home? Author Rosanne Tolin reveals how world history, Bond’s life, and 1950s immigrant culture were embedded into Paddington’s creation, bringing middle-grade readers a delightful, informative, and engaging book with a timely message of acceptance.Īs Michael pressed the keys of his typewriter, he paused often to look at Paddington. Īn incredible true tale, More than Marmalade: Michael Bond and the Story of Paddington Bear is the first biography about the writer behind the beloved series. Bond poured his personal feelings about the events of his era-the refugee children his family had hosted in the countryside, a war-torn country in recovery, the bustling immigrant neighborhood where he lived-into the story of a little bear from Peru who tries very, very hard to do things right. One day, while searching for inspiration at his typewriter, hoping for a big story that would allow him to write full time, a stuffed bear on top of the shelf-a Christmas present for his wife-suddenly caught his eye. He wrote about the war and more, selling stories here and there. He repaired rooftop radio transmitters during the bombing of Britain in World War II and later joined the army. Though an avid reader, he was by no means a model student and quit school at 14. Michael Bond never intended to be a children’s writer. Photos courtesy of Rosanne Tolin and design by Kendra Kay Creative. Rosanne Tolin, BA’90, published her debut book, More Than Marmalade, in March 2020 under Chicago Review Press.
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