1. I didn’t know bears like marmalade.
2. Nor did I know they like cocoa.
3. I didn’t know Paddington’s age, so I asked him.
4. He didn’t know either. He suggested I telephoned his Aunt Lucy.
5. He didn’t tell me she lives in a Home for Retired Bears in Lima. When I eventually reached her she asked me if I knew what time it was in Peru. I didn’t know that either. She said it was one o’clock in the morning!
6. When I phoned back at a more reasonable hour and asked how old her nephew was, she said: “There are some things you don’t ask a bear.” and hung up on me.
7. I don’t believe in taking “no” for an answer, and when I tried again, she said: “If there is one thing bears can’t stand it’s people with clipboards asking them how old they are!” and hung up on me again,
8. So I rang back and asked how bears felt about people without a clipboard.
9. She said: “Nobody without one has ever lived to tell the tale. Who wants to know?”
10. I had no idea either, so I gave her your telephone number. I hope you don’t mind!
By Michael Bond
Michael’s new book Love from Paddington is a collection of letters written by Paddington to his aunt Lucy. It’s published on 6 November 2014 and is the only Paddington novel to be written in first person so you get to enjoy Paddington’s adventures from his own perspective! Michael Bond’s first Paddington book, a Bear Called Paddington, was published back in 1958.
We have five amazing Paddington book bundles to give away to five lucky winners (including the new Love from Paddington book). Email childrens.books@theguardian.com with the subject heading “Paddington comp” telling us why you should win by 10 November 2014.
And then… on 28 November 2014, the Paddington movie is coming to town!
