Somehow, I missed Paddington as I was growing up. I missed him again as my children were growing up. I did not want to wait around for grandchildren, so I picked up "A Bear Called Paddington" - the first of fourteen novels written by Englishman Michael Bond about an anthropomorphic bear discovered by the Brown family in London's Paddington Station.

It was delightful!

The Browns discover a bear in Paddington Station and learn that he has stowed away on a ship from "Darkest Peru". They take him home and name him after the station in which they found him. He quickly becomes part of the family. Although Paddington is honest, polite, and kind, his curiosity and curious nature often get him into trouble.

This book does not contain an overall plot; rather, each chapter is a self-contained short story, and they are all loosely tied together. Each story relates an incident in which the bear finds himself in an unexpected predicament because, as Paddington admits "Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear." It takes only a few pages for things to work themselves out - sometimes by luck and sometimes thanks to Paddington's positive attitude and usually for the best.

Although marketed as a children's book, this novel will appeal to readers of all ages. It is honest and funny and fun and full of adventure. It's that sort of book!