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About Old Bear

When Jane started writing and illustrating she chose Old Bear to be the star of her first book. He was soon joined by other family toys: Bramwell Brown, Little Bear, Rabbit and Duck. Since then Old Bear has travelled everywhere with Jane, visiting schools, libraries and book fairs. He has met thousands of children who have read about his adventures and Jane has drawn him so many times she has lost count!

Old Bear is a real teddy bear. He was given to Jane, when she was a baby, by her grandmother. Of course he wasn’t an old bear then, he was brand new! Throughout her childhood, he was Jane’s favourite teddy and he joined in all her games. When his nose became worn or an eye became wobbly, Jane’s mother would stitch him a new one. When the family moved abroad for a while, Old Bear really was packed away in the attic, though his rescue was not quite as dramatic as in the Old Bear story.

Jane (aged 3) taking Old Bear for a picnic
Jane (aged 3), her brother Nigel and Old Bear
The original Old Bear toys