Paddington's Prize Picture

July 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-Paddington is a great helper for his foster family, the Browns. So when Mrs. Brown asks Paddington to go to the market, he happily complies. At the market, Mr. Gruber is always delighted to see Paddington, and on this particular occasion, he shows the bear a painting he was "washing" to uncover a surprise. Paddington's imagination sparks an idea, and he hastens home to use the "washing" technique on a painting that Mr. Brown has been working on to submit to a competition. Ironically, Paddington is unaware of this competition when he unleashes his artistic brushes. Will Mr. Brown recognize his own painting? And more importantly, will the painting have a chance at the competition? This easy-to-read story is told with simple sentences and a hint of new vocabulary beyond basic sight words. The appealing layout complements a natural flow between the humorous text and the pleasant pastel color illustrations. VERDICT An ideal choice for newly independent readers who are ready to read slightly longer paragraphs but need an easy-to-follow plot.-Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA

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