Paddington: summer reading for this winter's movie (ages 5-10)

Paddington Bear holds a special place in our hearts, as a small bear who travels to a far away place in search of a home. Our family was very excited to see that he's coming to the big screen this winter in a new film. We are listening to the audiobook again, laughing at this sweet, silly bear's adventures, and looking forward to the new movie.

A Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond
audiobook narrated by Stephen Fry
movie produced by David Heyman
US release date: December 25, 2014
movie website
ages 5-10

One fateful afternoon, the Brown family meets a small bear in Paddington Station, London. He had traveled all the way from Darkest Peru as a stowaway, with a sign around his neck reading "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Mrs. Brown insists that they invite him to stay in their home, just for a while -- and what adventures they have!

I wonder which version our family will enjoy more. Stephen Fry narrates the audiobook using a stately English accent -- "earnestly well-meaning" as the AudioFile review calls him.

It will be interesting to see what approach the Paddington movie takes. Just take a look at the trailer -- it's clear that David Heyman (producer of several Harry Potter movies) is emphasizing the adventurous side of Paddington:



Will kids like it? Oh yes. For fun, you might want to browse through the beginning of the movie website. My hope is that families also read the original story aloud or listen to the audiobook. HarperCollins is rereleasing the original novel, along with many movie tie-ins.

Thanks to Big Honcho Media for bringing the Paddington Movie to my attention. I'm always excited to see how popular culture might bring families back to reading classic children's stories we have enjoyed. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2014 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books