British Embassy in Washington donates over 2,000 Paddington books to DC-area schools

The British Embassy in Washington donated 2,500 Paddington books to schools based in Washington, D.C., just in time for Christmas.

The donation of the books was done for the 65th anniversary of the publishing of A Bear Called Paddington, a British children’s book. The 2,500 books were donated to schoolchildren between 3 and 9, all of whom attended one of 10 schools in the Washington area, according to a press release from the British Embassy.

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“It was a pleasure to join Mayor Bowser, Chancellor Ferebee, and Principal Preston to read Paddington Bear to students at Dorothy I. Height Elementary School,” British Ambassador to the United States Karen Pierce said. “Paddington’s lessons of kindness and resilience remain an inspiration to children around the world as we mark the book’s 65th anniversary this year. The British Embassy is delighted to donate Paddington books to over 2,000 students at 10 public schools around D.C., in partnership with HarperCollins, so that a whole new generation of students can enjoy this iconic British story.”

(British Embassy Washington)

As part of the donation, Pierce read a copy of Paddington to 150 students at Dorothy I. Height Elementary School on Monday. Pierce was joined by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser.

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The character Paddington was created by Michael Bond, who was a former BBC cameraman and Royal Air Force veteran who served in World War II. Since the character’s creation in 1958, a total of 28 books have been written.

Paddington has also received the big-screen treatment, getting a live-action movie in 2015 and a sequel in 2018. A third Paddington film is scheduled to release in January 2025.