Well, Paddington made a bit more conscious use of his Paddingtonisms (such as painting Mr. Curry's gate with the special antiburglar paint instead of painting his 8 drainpipes when Mr. Curry tried to bully Paddington into doing it for him)... but it was charming to see that Paddington finally had some contact with more of his family. A fitting finish to a beloved series. ( )

Young Reader Reaction: My children liked the book, but did not react strongly to it. I think it was partially because the writing used some of the terminology from the United Kingdom, so some of the meanings of key words were lost on my kids. In addition, the humor was a bit more subtle and mature than what is common for books geared towards 4-6 year olds, so perhaps ages 8 and older may have a more positive experience.

Adult Reader Reaction: I liked the book OK. I thought the content was appropriate for kids, as far as providing a positive influence on kids (no violence, no emotional burden, etc.). It was light-hearted and safe. I was not overwhelmed by the writing, but was happy that I felt comfortable reading the book without previewing it first to make sure it would not scare my children or set inappropriate examples.

I was not surprised at my boys' reaction, but I was surprised at mine. I don't recall having read a Paddington story, but from the popularity of this iconic bear, I would have expected a bit more. I don't know if that is because this particular book is not up to the same standards as previous stories, or if it is in perfect alignment with this author's previous works and I would not have raved about his other books, either.

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.

A surprise visit from a long-lost relative is the start of an exciting adventure for Paddington.