Helen Oxenbury a life in illustration Words by Leonard S Marcus

As Christmas approaches book lists are appearing all over the place - on blogs, in shops and in book store catalogues. After you have made all those book purchases for others here is a book to add to your own list or if you are looking to give a gift to a Children's Literature fan (like me) this book is perfect.

I spied Helen Oxenbury a life in illustration on the web some weeks ago and then I saw the actual book on the coffee table of a good friend yesterday. I exclaimed WOW I want to read that! She generously said take it home. You will love it.

So last night I sat down thinking I would read a few pages. You have probably guessed I read the WHOLE book in one sitting. That's over 265 pages but before you are too impressed, about half the book is given over to full page examples of the joyous work we associate with Helen Oxenbury.

My own first memory of Helen Oxenbury would be her Tom and Pippo series. Reading Helen Oxenbury a life in illustration I have discovered Helen produced 12 books about Tom and his toy monkey. They were first published in 1988. This is one series that surely should be back in print. I fondly remember giving these book to many family friends.

It is at times like this I wish I was still 'living in' my school library.  I need to sit down and look more closely at earlier Helen Oxenbury books such as The Great Big Enormous Turnip by Alexei Tolstoy (1968), The dragon of an ordinary Family by Margaret Mahy (1969), The Hunting of the Snark by Edward Lear (1970) and Meal One by Ivor Cutler (1971). I also love the way I make discoveries. I had no idea Helen Oxenbury illustrated another favourite book - Franny B Kranny there's a bird in your hair (2001).

Image Source: http://www.vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com/2011/04/meal-one.html

Of course one of the most famous books illustrated by Helen Oxenbury is We're going on a Bear Hunt. This book has been a part of my read aloud repertoire since it first appeared in 1989 and who can resist Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell (1991). There is a whole chapter devoted to Farmer Duck in Helen Oxenbury a life in illustration.

Michael Rosen (We're going on a bear hunt) talks about his ideas and reaction to the illustrations in a candid way.  He simply didn't understand Helen's images at all.  We're going on a bear hunt began life as a song. Helen actually did the art for the album sleeve. About this time Michael Rosen came across the song and he added it to his one-man show for school children. An editor at Walker books heard the song and recognised the potential for a book. Helen drew on the landscapes near her home at Hampstead Heath and the landscapes of her childhood in Felixstowe. Eighteen months later the books was finished. I loved reading her thoughts about the last page, which for me is the most important. Here is a quote from The Guardian:

"It occurred to me three-quarters of the way through that possibility that the bear was all on his own in the cave, and might just have wanted some company rather than to eat the children."

So the bear, Leonard S Marcus explains : "slopes of into the night, looking utterly downcast." "The sudden pivot from suspense to pathos lends the story an unexpected poignant added dimension."

One thing that has always puzzled me is why the pop up version of We're going on a bear hunt does not have this all important end paper. The pop up does, however, have a fantastic page with the snow storm and it is such fun to pop everyone under the bed covers after they race upstairs and jump into bed.

Now take a few minutes to read this review where Booktrust asked some of the most famous names in children's books (such as Anthony Browne, Lauren Child,  Michael Morpurgo and Shirley Hughes) to share their comments about Helen Oxenbury and her equally talented husband John Burningham.

Helen Oxenbury a life in illustration is a scrumptious book. It has a beautiful dust jacket which covers a surprise, a ribbon bookmark, there is a list of all the awards Helen has won since 1969 and the bibliography of her titles is generously spread over 10 pages allowing room for many of her book covers. It is very clear Leonard S Marcus just loves Helen's work but at no point does he intrude.

One last thing - did you know Helen Oxenbury designed the famous Walker Bear - all book people know this little logo means you can be sure the book in your hands will be just perfect.

"The Walker Bear is always in motion, right foot first, perpetually carrying the flickering candle in its green candlestick - respected the world over a symbol of publishing quality and distinction."

Here is an image from Ten Little Fingers Ten Little Toes by our own Mem Fox.