The creator of the iconic children’s fiction character Paddington Bear, Michael Bond, has died at age 91 in his home following a short illness.
The author, born in 1926 at Newbury, Berkshire, published his first book in 1958, A Bear Called Paddington, depicting the first story of the beloved marmalade-loving bear from Peru.
He was still writing up until his death according to his daughter Karen Jankel, with the latest Paddington story, Paddington’s Finest Hour, published in April this year.
Today is a very sad day. Michael Bond CBE will be missed by many. pic.twitter.com/ZoCb5sU2V9
— Paddington (@paddingtonbear) June 28, 2017
Jankel said of his death:“It’s a shock to everybody. For me, he was the most wonderful father you can imagine, so obviously our loss is personal. But it’s wonderful that he’s left the legacy of his books and Paddington that will live on for ever, which is really very special.
“The whole world is lucky to have had him … Paddington himself is so real to all of us. He’s still a part of our family and we’re very lucky.”
“For him, writing was his life. It was wonderful he could continue writing until the end,” she said. “Because … Paddington and his other characters were so real to him, he became alive to everybody else.
“You can tell just by reading his books what a lovely person he was. I never came across anybody who disliked my father. He was one of those people that people instinctively warmed to and he was as funny as a person and delightful as he was in his writing and as a father.”
Over 35 million Paddington books have been distributed worldwide thus far, alongside TV programmes, books, and films. Bond also created characters like Olga da Polga and A Mouse Called Thursday, alongside a novel series featuring detective Monsieur Pamplemousse.
