PADDINGTON IN THE GARDEN

For over four decades, generations of readers worldwide have embraced the bumbling, lovable Paddington, who hasn’t changed much over the years. Here, he once again lands himself in a bit of a scrape and once again finds an affable way to get out of it. The story opens with Paddington making a list of all the splendid things in his life for which he is thankful, including the Browns’ lovely garden. The adventure begins when the Browns give Paddington his own tiny plot of land to plant as he pleases. Not sure how to proceed, Paddington begins researching how best to utilize his newfound land. It isn’t long before his knack for mishaps has him climbing the scaffolding of a building site. It is his signature love of homemade marmalade and the help of a friendly foreman that eventually sees Paddington out of his predicament. By creating an unusual garden Paddington finds he has yet another item to add to his already lengthy list of splendid things. Bond and Alley (Paddington Bear Goes to the Hospital, p. 654, etc.) combine their talents once again to successfully introduce Paddington to younger readers. The trimmed-down text makes this a perfect place for Alley’s jovial and detailed watercolor illustrations and an amusing way to look forward to the advent of spring gardening. (Picture book. 3-6)