Helen Oxenbury

Helen Gillian Oxenbury (born 2 June 1938) is an English illustrator and writer of children's picture books. She lives in north London. She went on to study in London at the Central School of Art and Design (1957-1959), where she met her future husband, John Burningham.

In her adult life, she embarked on a career in theatre, film and television. She worked as assistant designer at Colchester Repertory Theatre, and for three years as painter and designer for the Habima Theatre in Tel Aviv, Israel. In 1962 she returned to Britain and did some design work for ABC Television and Shepperton Film Studios.

After marrying the children's book author and illustrator John Burningham in 1964, she turned to illustrating children’s books herself. In 1988, she created a series of books about a mischievous young boy called Tom, and his stuffed monkey, Pippo. She commented that Tom was very much like her own son in his younger years. Like Tom, her son would often blame his misdeeds on an accomplice (the family dog). She continues to illustrate books. In 1994, Tom and Pippo was adapted into a French animated series which ran for 104 two-minute episodes. Some of her most recent work includes the illustrations for The Growing Story in the September 2008 edition of Bayard Presse's StoryBox magazine.

Awards Oxenbury is one of 14 illustrators to win two Kate Greenaway Medals (established 1955); Burningham is another. At the time, the annual award by the British Library Association (now CILIP) recognised the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject; two books were occasionally cited; there was no cash prize. Oxenbury won the Medal in 1969 for The Quangle Wangle's Hat, an edition of Edward Lear's 19th-century poem.

Selected works These are all children's books.

WorldCat reports that Oxenbury's works most widely held in participating libraries are three of her Greenaway Medal runners up, all written by other authors: We're Going on a Bear Hunt (1989), Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig (1993), and Farmer Duck (1991).

The Quangle Wangle's Hat (Heinemann, 1969), by Edward Lear (late 19th century) —joint winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal It's My Birthday (1993), written and illustrated So Much (Walker), 1994, by Trish Cooke —winner of the Kurt Maschler Award Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (2008), by Mem Fox There's Going to Be a Baby (2010), by John Burningham The Giant Jumperee (Re-Illustrator in 2017), by Julia Donaldson Red Riding Hood (2019), Lost Story by Beatrix Potter Welcome to the World (2022), by Julia Donaldson Oh Dear, Look What I Got! (2025), by Michael Rosen