Please look after this....

....bear.....and book!

It's Picture Book Month and I am wondering if I can come up with a book for each day of the month. I am not sure I can do this and slightly afraid to commit!  Let's just say I am going to try to come up with a book for each school day.

Here I am with Paddington at Brighams (see below)

Today's book, for those that didn't know the reference, is the Paddington series by Michael Bond. Paddington (a bear) arrived in London from Peru with a tag around his neck asking, "Please look after this BEAR. Thank You." This is exactly what the Brown family does.   The series began as chapter books, the first being A Bear Called Paddington, which is where I have my experiences and memories; picture books were introduced in 1972 and have been published as recently as 2008 (the 50th anniversary of the first book).  You can read more about all the books on the Website dedicated to Paddington Bear.  

I recently played "What's My Genre?" with my students and as part of the lesson book-talked a few books, needless to say, I book talked the Paddington books and they have not stayed on the shelf since.  Michael Bonds' writing stands the test of time, his dry humor is still appreciated and Paddington's antics still appeal.

So, in honor of Picture Book Month and in celebration of one of my favorite bears (don't tell Winnie-the-Pooh), please head to your library and look for the Paddington Books.  You won't be disappointed.

In the event you were wondering how it is I was fortunate enough to be sitting next to Paddington at an ice cream parlour, I'll tell you.  Paddington was ordered by a friend of the family.  He was too large to be shipped and therefore arrived on the Greyhound Bus.  We took him to Brighams to refuel; they didn't have marmalade, but I think he enjoyed his visit anyway (he likely had some marmalade sandwiches under that yellow hat, as he normally does).  We put him in our Volkswagon Bus and drove him to the next state.  True Story.