Classics · Paddington
Paddington Bear: what age are the books for?
4 min read3 sources
Many children meet Paddington in films or picture books before they meet the original. The first novel, A Bear Called Paddington, came out in 1958 and is a chapter book, older than its cuddly image suggests.
Here's what age BookTrust gives, and how the book works read aloud and read alone.
In brief
- First published in 1958. William Collins & Sons published A Bear Called Paddington on 13 October 1958.1
- Interest age 6 to 8, reading age 7+, according to BookTrust, for the HarperCollins Children's Books edition.1
- Two ages close together. BookTrust lists many books with an interest age and a reading age.2 For Paddington, they're only a year apart: a book to start together and soon read alone.
What the book is about
The Brown family find a small bear at Paddington Station, with a label round his neck asking someone to look after him. They take him home, and from then on everything he touches goes slightly wrong, always with the best intentions.
Each chapter is a small adventure of its own: a bath that floods, a trip to the shops, a day at the seaside. It's gentle, funny and very British, and it's about a newcomer finding a home.
Reading Paddington at six, and at seven
At six, one chapter a night. The chapters are self-contained, so a child can follow them read aloud even if they miss an evening. The American Academy of Pediatrics' “Brush, Book, Bed” routine has room for exactly one.3
At seven, alone. The reading age BookTrust gives is seven. A child who has heard a few chapters can often read the rest alone.
The picture books are different. Shorter Paddington picture books exist for younger children; the ages on this page are for the original novel.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Paddington for?
For the novel A Bear Called Paddington, BookTrust gives an interest age of six to eight and a reading age of seven. It's a chapter book to read aloud from six and alone from about seven.
Is Paddington good for a 5 year old?
The interest age BookTrust gives starts at six. Some five-year-olds enjoy a chapter read aloud, especially if they know Paddington from elsewhere; picture books suit most children of five better.
When was the first Paddington book published?
A Bear Called Paddington, by Michael Bond, was first published by William Collins & Sons on 13 October 1958.
Can a 7 year old read Paddington alone?
BookTrust gives a reading age of seven, so many children can. Short, self-contained chapters make it a good first novel to read alone.
Sources
- 1.BookTrust Bookfinder: A Bear Called Paddington.What it confirms: Interest age 6 to 8, reading age 7+; HarperCollins Children's Books; first published by William Collins & Sons on 13 October 1958.
- 2.BookTrust Bookfinder.What it confirms: Books listed with two ages, an interest age and a reading age.
- 3.American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Brush, Book, Bed.What it confirms: The evening routine of brushing teeth, a book and a fixed bedtime.
A word about us
A story about finding a home
Paddington is loved because he's small, far from home and taken in by a family. Children see themselves in him.
At Sagalino, your child becomes the hero of a story with their name, in one of our 21 illustration styles. You read the whole story for free, and only pay afterwards.
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