▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁( two ▁months ▁before ▁his ▁death ) ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁six ▁years ▁( up ▁to ▁ 2 0 2 3 ). ▁ ▁P adding ton ▁books ▁have ▁been ▁translated ▁into ▁ 3 0 ▁languages ▁across ▁ 7 0 ▁titles ▁and ▁have ▁sold ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 ▁million ▁copies ▁world wide . ▁A ▁much ▁loved ▁fict ional ▁character ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁a ▁P adding ton ▁Bear ▁soft ▁to y ▁was ▁chosen ▁by ▁British ▁tunnel ers ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁item ▁to ▁pass ▁through ▁to ▁their ▁French ▁counter parts ▁when ▁the ▁two ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁Channel ▁T unnel ▁were ▁linked ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁P adding ton ▁Bear ▁has ▁been ▁adapted ▁for ▁television , ▁films ▁and ▁appeared ▁in ▁commer ci als . ▁The ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed ▁and ▁commer cially ▁successful ▁films ▁P adding ton ▁( 2 0 1 4 ) ▁and ▁P adding ton ▁ 2 ▁( 2 0 1 7 ) ▁were ▁both ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁B AF TA ▁Award ▁for ▁Out standing ▁British ▁Film . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Origin ▁ ▁Michael ▁Bond ▁based ▁P adding ton ▁Bear ▁on ▁a ▁l one ▁ted dy ▁bear ▁he ▁noticed ▁on ▁a ▁sh elf ▁in ▁a ▁London ▁store ▁near ▁P adding ton ▁Station ▁on ▁Christmas ▁E ve ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁which ▁he ▁bought ▁as ▁a ▁present ▁for ▁his ▁wife . ▁He ▁may ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁sight , ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁of ▁Jewish ▁refuge e ▁children ▁from ▁Europe , ▁or