What was the title of the first Paddington Bear book, published in 1958?

The first Paddington Bear book, published in 1958, was titled A Bear Called Paddington.

The book was written by Michael Bond and illustrated by Peggy Fortnum, whose drawings helped define Paddington's early appearance. It introduces the bear after his arrival in London from Peru and follows his first experiences with the Brown family and British everyday life.

A Bear Called Paddington is a collection of linked stories rather than a single continuous adventure. Its episodes include Paddington being welcomed by the Browns, exploring the city and getting into trouble through misunderstandings or well-intentioned actions. The book established many recurring features of the series, including marmalade sandwiches and Paddington's polite speech.

Readers sometimes confuse the first book with later titles such as More About Paddington. Those books followed after the 1958 debut; A Bear Called Paddington is the series opener and the source of the character's earliest published adventures.