BEIJING, June 5 -- He's captured the hearts of children for decades, and he's just a bear. Fifty years since the first Paddington Bear edition was published, a new adventure is about to hit book shelves. But this new edition has roused controversy, as Paddington Bear runs afoul of immigration control.

    "A Bear called Paddington" was first published in 1958. Ahead of its 50th anniversary, "Paddington Here and Now" is about to go on sale. In the new book, the engaging bear has to deal with everything from immigration officials, to interrogation by police near his favorite market on Portobello Road in London's Notting Hill area.

    Michael Bond, creator of the bear found his inspiration while buying a Teddy bear for his wife on Christmas Eve 1956. Bond says when he first wrote the books, Paddington could dial an old fashioned phone, now it's not so simple with today's technology.

    Michael Bond said, "Way back when I first wrote the books, he could use a telephone and I mean, now if he uses a telephone, if he punches one knob there are six numbers at the same time, so making phone calls should be very different."

    A statue dedicated to the small bear stands at the Paddington station from which the bear takes his name. Tourists from around the world come to have their pictures taken next to the brass statue.

    But it's not only the station that attracts tourists looking to follow in the footsteps of this ursine hero. So does number 32 Windsor Gardens, the home of Paddington's adoptive family, the Browns.

    In the soon-to-be-released book, many of Paddington's troubles relate back to the original tale. When he arrived in the UK from "Darkest Peru" he came as a stowaway and had no proper identification.

    Help may be at hand. Hearing of Paddington's plight, the Peruvian ambassador Ricardo V. Luna, decided to host an evening dedicated to the small bear.

    Ricardo V. Luna, Peruvian Ambassador to the UK, said, "I think we are going to provide some papers for Paddington, so he has less difficulties when he through customs. But in any case, we have contacted the Foreign Secretary and the Home Office in the mean time, and he is aware that we are carrying out a major celebration this weekend. Maybe he'll respond, he may even show up."

    For Ambassador Luna and readers the world over, the story of Paddington deals with universal themes of innocence. In addition, the books help to teach important values to children and to open them up, to experience the world.

    (Source: CCTV.com)