| Shirley Clarkson made her first Paddington bears as Christmas gifts for her children in 1971. She had copied the design from Michael Bond’s much loved children’s books because they were a favorite of her children. The kids friends liked the bears so much the Clarksons made some more and sold them. It wasn’t long before they got a cease and desist letter from Bond’s attorney, but after the author saw one of the bears he was impressed enough that they entered into a licensing agreement giving Clarkson legal rights to manufacture and sell the bears. In this book Clarkson tells the often amusing tale of how this stuffed toy has brought her success along with the huge headaches of having to deal with copycats, inept employees, and multiple threats to close her down. “Bearly Believable: My Part in the Paddington Bear Story” by Shirley Clarkson is due to hit stands on June 23rd you can even pre-order your copy at Amazon. List price of the book is $29.99 but Amazon always offer discounts and free shipping on orders over $25. |  |
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