Paddington Goes for Gold

by Michael Bond

Published 2 February 2012
Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right level

A hilarious picture book featuring Paddington, the classic bear from Darkest Peru, as he takes part in a local family sports event with rather sticky results!

Paddington is in high competitive spirits when he accompanies the Brown family to a local sports day. But whether he’s putting the shot, helping Jonathan and Judy get ready for the three-legged race, or taking part in a relay, nothing goes quite as planned. Will a gold medal ever be within Paddington’s reach?

Children can recap the different ways Paddington tried to help in the sports day races through the summary on pages 30–31, providing lots of speaking and listening opportunities.

Emerald/Band 15 books provide a widening range of genres including science fiction and biography, prompting more ways to respond to texts.

Ideas for Reading provide practical support and stimulating activities.


Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level

"We should never have given Paddington a boomerang for his birthday," said Mrs Brown as she gazed down at the figure lying on the lawn. "I knew no good would come of it."

Paddington has got himself into trouble again, and this time he finds himself being whisked off to hospital in an ambulance. Full of the humorous misunderstandings and adventures that this lovable bear is famous for, this is a great story for the young Paddington fan who is apprehensive, or merely curious, about what goes on inside a hospital.

Children can recap Paddington's experience in hospital through his letter to Aunt Lucy on pages 30-31, providing lots of speaking and listening opportunities.

Emerald/Band 15 books provide a widening range of genres including science fiction and biography, prompting more ways to respond to texts.

Ideas for Reading provide practical support and stimulating activities.


Paddington is delighted when his friend Mr Gruber suggests going for a day out in the city. He is even more excited when he discovers they will be going on a tour bus.Unfortunately, the other tourists think he is their tour guide and follow him everywhere and soon the bear from Darkest Peru is soon deep in his own special brand of chaos.

Paddington is very excited. He is going on a day trip around the city with his friend, Mr Gruber. With his suitcase full of marmalade sandwiches and Mrs Bird’s umbrella in case it rains, the bear from darkest Peru is ready for anything. Or almost. How is Paddington to know that the other tourists will think he was their tour guide? And how could he guess that they will follow him everywhere? Chaos and humour are hand-in-hand in this new story about the bear who always gets it right in the end.


Paddington in the Garden

by Michael Bond

Published 1 July 2002

When Paddington starts to make a list of all the nice things he can think of about being a bear and living with the Browns he is sure to include `the garden’. Paddington feels very lucky to have such a nice garden, especially as he has his own little patch in it, to keep him out of mischief!

But when Paddington is around things are rarely simple and he soon finds that gardening is not as easy as he had first thought. He sets out, with a jar of marmalade of course, to look for ideas and ends up in a building site behind the Browns’ garden. He is sure that if he climbs up a nearby ladder he will get an excellent view of his own little garden and that will help him with his design.

Unfortunately, bears, building sites and marmalade don’t really mix. But, as usual, Paddington is able to turn circumstances to his advantage and come out on top after all!