Paddington Bear, created by British author Michael Bond, is a beloved character in children's literature, first appearing in A Bear Called Paddington on October 13, 1958. Paddington, a polite, marmalade-loving, anthropomorphic bear from "darkest Peru," is discovered by the Brown family at London’s Paddington station and adopted after they struggle to pronounce his original bear name. Known for his old hat, duffel coat, and battered suitcase, Paddington is well-meaning yet often gets into innocent mischief. Bond was inspired to create Paddington after spotting a lonely teddy bear in a shop, and he drew parallels to the experiences of wartime refugees carrying luggage labels, leading to Paddington’s iconic tag, "Please look after this bear." Bond wrote the first book within ten days and named Paddington after the station, close to his home. The character has since featured in 29 books illustrated by various artists, with the final book, Paddington at St. Paul's, published posthumously in 2018.