Paddington is put in charge of making the itinerary for the trip and he's not quite sure how to spell it. My favourite small part of the book was a half page or so about Paddington and dictionaries. Still - it is amusing to read about Paddington preparing a typical French meal for the Browns (snails), Paddington playing the big drum in a band (and getting lost because he can't see the other musicians), Paddington trying to put up a tent and Paddington going to the bank and discovering how little interest you actually get. So even though this book is about Paddington going to France, there isn't much new in it. The thing is, by now you are used to Paddington getting in all the trouble possible to get into. However, if I had read this one as the second book about our little friend from the Darkest Peru, it would probably have gotten more stars. This is the fourth book in the Paddington series and although I really liked it, it wasn't quite as good as the first three. but as Mrs Bird tells him, there will be other things to look forward to because, 'Things happen to bears.'Īnd so they do, particularly those named Paddington! Later in the holiday he gets mixed up in the Tour de France, much to Monsieur Dupont's amazement and, on the tricycle that he has acquired, he leads the riders through the town and is cheered to the echo by the crowds, despite the Browns thinking that he has made a fool of himself.īut all good things come to an end at some time and eventually Paddington and the Browns prepare to return home Paddington is quite sad at having to say goodbye to everyone, particularly Monsieur Dupont.

Fortunately he turns up and once he spies a baker's shop run by Monsieur Dupont who supplies him with buns he is okay! He very quickly befriends Monsieur Dupont as he know where his buns will come from.

And when there he goes missing very quickly so the Browns panic a little and can't believe that he has got lost in half a day. But they eventually make it onto the 'plane where Paddington spends time consulting his 'doings list' to see what he is going to get up to once in France. Once at the airport the troubles magnify as there is a question of Paddington's passport. To get to all that action, the Browns are going on holiday so Paddington makes his own arrangements, going to the library, chatting with Mr Gruber to get a feel for where he is going, arranging money from the bank and then packing an enormous amount of tackle to take with him. Paddington Brown the bear is a delightful character and in this volume Peggy Fortnum produces some absolutely charming illustrations, particularly of Paddington throwing a fit in his beret when people gather round him and think he is an onion bear and also when he is drinking cocoa from a bucket and when he is whizzing along on a tricycle!

Paddington abroad