Listen to “Paddington Bear” on Spreaker.
Paddington Bear
At a busy London train station called Paddington, the Brown family found something—or rather, someone—very unexpected. Sitting alone on a bench was a small bear wearing a red hat and blue coat. Around his neck was a tag that read:
“Please look after this bear. Thank you.”
The Browns—Mr. and Mrs. Brown, their daughter Emily, and their dog Rufus—were shocked.
“A bear?” Emily whispered, wide-eyed.
The little bear stood up and said politely, “Good afternoon. My name is Paddington. I’ve come all the way from Darkest Peru.”
Emily grinned. “Would you like to come home with us?”
Paddington tipped his hat. “Yes, please! I would very much like that.”
So Paddington joined the Brown family, and from that moment on, life was never quiet again.
Paddington tried very hard to be a good guest. But things didn’t always go as planned—especially when marmalade was involved. One morning, he decided to surprise the family with breakfast. He tiptoed into the kitchen, climbed onto a chair, and reached for the biggest jar of marmalade he could find.
But splat!—the jar slipped and tumbled onto the floor.
Paddington tried to clean it up. He stepped in the marmalade, slid across the kitchen, knocked over a bag of flour, and landed in a big, sticky, powdery pile.
Emily walked in just as the toaster popped out burned toast. She gasped and then giggled.
“Paddington! You look like a marmalade snowman!”
Paddington blinked through the flour. “Oh, bother. I only wanted to help!”
Mr. and Mrs. Brown peeked in next and laughed too. “Paddington,” said Mrs. Brown kindly, “maybe we should stick to cereal today.”
Later that day, they all had a picnic in the park. Paddington, with a fresh coat and a cleaned-up smile, shared his favorite snack: marmalade sandwiches.
“I always keep one under my hat,” he told Emily. “Just in case.”
From that day on, Paddington was part of the Brown family. He still made messes sometimes, but he always tried his best—and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
The End!
Follow-Up Questions:
- What made Emily and her family decide to take Paddington home?
- What happened when Paddington tried to make breakfast?
- Why do you think the Browns loved Paddington, even when he made a mess?
