Born: January 13, 1926. Birthplace: Newbury, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom. Chinese Zodiac: Ox. Zodiac Sign: Capricorn. Died: June 27, 2017 (aged 91). Michael Bond is most renowned for creating the cherished character Paddington Bear. His Paddington book series was translated into over 40 languages and sold over 35 million copies globally. Bond began writing in 1945 while serving in the British Army in Cairo. He was employed as a BBC television cinematographer following the war until 1965 when he resigned from his position to pursue writing full-time. Olga da Polga, a guinea pig, created Bond in addition to the Paddington series. Additionally, he composed culinary mystery stories for adults that featured a character named Monsieur Pamplemousse. In recognition of his contributions to children's literature, Bond was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1997 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2015. Sir David Attenborough read his "Reflection on the Passing of the Years" at Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday thanksgiving service in 2016. Bond was married twice and had two children. He resided in London, near Paddington Station, which served as the source of inspiration for numerous of his works. He is interred in Paddington Old Cemetery with the epitaph "Please take care of this bear." I am grateful.