'Paddington Bear: a case study of immigration and otherness' by Angela Smith. Children's Literature in Education, 37(1), March 2006.

"Paddington, as a series of books begun in the late 1950s, presents issues of anti-racism and ‘Otherness’ which can be revealed through a close textual analysis of the introductory chapters of the first book in series, A Bear Called Paddington (1958), whilst also showing how the dominant culture retains its superior status."

Full text free to download from the Springer site.

Michael Bond is eighty today. The BBC website includes a videoclip of his appearance at Paddington Station, and a magazine article and slide show, 'Elevenses with Mr Paddington.'

The latest stamp issue from the Royal Mail is the Animal Tales Collection of storybook characters. Of course, Paddington is 1st class..

The highlight of this year's Hampton Court for me was Paddington's Marmalade Garden:

RHS coverage

Peter Needham was responsible for translating into Latin my favourite children's book, A bear called Paddington. I love the way he has rendered totally modern English names into Latin, as in this passage from chapter 3, 'Paddington sub terram it,' where a London Underground ticket inspector is questioning him about his name:"Paddington!" inquit inspector incredulus. "non potest esse. id est nomen stationis. nunquam prius novi ursum Paddington appellatum.""insolentissimum est nomen," inquit Paddington. "sed est Paddington Brunnus, et domicilium habeo aedes in Hortis Vindesilorensibus collocatas ac numero XXXII signatas. et Dominam Brunnam et Judy amisi."(p.48).

Ursus nomine Paddington by Michael Bond, translated by Peter Needham. Duckworth, 1999. ISBN 0715629263
A bear called Paddington by Michael Bond. Collins, 1958.