Youtube Instagram

Bibliography

Helen’s illustration career started with creating colourful, pop art inspired images with fine artists at Jan Pienkowski’s ground-breaking stationery company Gallery Five. Her early work carries this vibrant, stylised legacy and charmed the publishers at Heinemann when she took her first book, ‘Numbers of Things’, to them. Sebastian Walker then recruited Oxenbury for his publishing company, Walker Books, where she revolutionised board books for babies. Her work took on more realism, tenderness and humour. Since then, Helen has consistently remained at the forefront of children’s publishing, working on over 100 books with barely a break over five decades. She is highly acclaimed, having been awarded the Kate Greenaway medal twice.

1960's
1970's
1980's
1990's
2000's
2010's
2020's

1960's

Books page - Front cover - Numbers of things
Numbers of Things
Helen Oxenbury and published by Heinemann Young Books in 1967
The Great Big Enormous Turnip book cover
The Great Big Enormous Turnip
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and first published in 1968 as part of the Picture Mamoth series
Front cover the Dragon of an Ordinary Family
The Dragon of an Ordinary Family
By Margaret Mahey, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by William Heinemann in 1969
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1969
Front cover - Letters of thanks
Letters of Thanks
Manghanita Kempadoo, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Collins in 1969
The Quangle Wangle’s Hat
Edward lear, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Heinemann in 1969

1970's

Front Cover - Cakes and Custard
Cakes and Custard
Edited by Brian Alderson, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Heinemann in 1974
Book Cover - The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark
Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by William Heinemann in 1970
Front cover - Meal One
Meal One
Written by Ivor Cutler, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Heinemann Young Books in 1971
Front cover of Pig Tale
Pig Tale
By Helen Oxenbury and published by William Heinemann in 1973
Balooky Klujypop cover
Balooky Klujypop
Ivor Cutler, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by William Heinemann 1975
FRont cover Childs book of manners
A Child's Book of Manners
Fay Maschler, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Atheneum in 1978
Helen Oxenbury’s ABC of Things
Written and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Franklin Watts in 1972
Front Cover - The Animal House
The Animal House
Ivor Cutler, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by William Heinemann Ltd in 1976
Book cover: The Queen and Rosie Randall
The Queen and Rosie Randall
From and idea by Jill Buttfield-Campbell, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Heinemann 1978
Book Cover: Curious Creatures
Curious Creatures
Helen Oxenbury and published by Jonathan Cape in 1978
Book Cover: Puzzle People
Puzzle People
Helen Oxenbury, published by Jonathan Cape in 197xx
Book cover: Animal Allsiorts
Animal Allsorts
Helen Oxenbury, published by Jonathan Cape 1978

1980's

Front cover: We're Going on a Bear Hunt
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
By Michael Rosen, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 1989
Book Cover: The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Story Book
The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Story Book
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Heinemann in 1985
Book Cover: The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Rhyme Book
The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Rhyme Book
Edited by Brian Alderson and Published by Heinemann in 1986
Front Cover: Tiny Tim
Tiny Tim: Verses for Children
Edited by Jill Bennet, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Heinemann in 1981
Bill and Stanley
Written and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Earnest Benn in 1981

Helen Oxenbury’s Baby Board Books

1981 + 1983 + 1985
Methuen/Walker, Sainsbury’s Walker

Dressing, Friends,  Animals, Holidays, I Can, I Hear, Working, Playing, Family, Shopping, Helping, Bedtime, I Touch, I See
Front Cover - I hear
Front cover - I can
Front cover - Friends
Front Cover - I see
Front Cover - I Touch
Front cover - Dressing

Helen Oxenbury’s First Experiences Picture Books
Walker 1983 + 1984

Eating Out, Grandma and Grandpa, Our Dog, The Birthday Party, The Drive, The Dancing Class, The Checkup, The Important Visitor, Playschool
Front Cover - grandma and grandpa
Front Cover - Our Dog
Front Cover - Playschool
Front Cover - The Dancing Class
Front Cover - The Birthday Party
Front Cover - The Checkup
Front Cover - The Drive
Front Cover - The Important Visitor
Front Cover - Eating Out

Tom and Pippo

Walker Books 1988 + 1989

Tom and Pippo Read a Story

Tom and Pippo Make a Mess

Tom and Pippo Go for a Walk

Tom and Pippo and the Washing Machine

Tom and Pippo Go Shopping

Tom and Pippo’s day

Tom and Pippo in the Garden

Tom and Pippo See the Moon

Tom and Pippo and the Dog

Tom and Pippo in the Snow

Tom and Pippo make a Friend

Pippo Gets Lost

Front Cover - Tom and Pippo Read a Story
Front cover - Tom and Pippo Make a Mess
Front cover - Tom and Pippo Go for a Walk
Front Cover - Tom and Pippo and the Washing Machine
Front Cover - Toma nd Pippo's day
Front Cover - Tom and Pippo go Shopping
Front Cover - Tom and Pippo in the Snow
Font Cover - Tom and Pippo and the Dog

1990's

Book cover: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 1999
Front Cover: So Much
So Much By Trish Cooke
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker in 1994
Front cover: It’s My Birthday
It’s My Birthday
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Heinemann 1994
Front cover: The Three Wolves and the Big Bad Pig
The Three Wolves and the Big Bad Pig
By Eugene Trivizas, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Heinemann in 1993
Front coiver: The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Treasurey
The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Treasury
Edited by Brian Alderson, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Heinemann 1991
Front Cover: Farmer Duck
Farmer Duck
By Martin Waddell, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker 1991

2000's

Book cover: Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
By Mem Fox, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker in 2008
Book Cover: The Growing Story
The Growing Story
By Ruth Krauss, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Harper Collins in 2007
Book Cover: Alice Through the Looking Glass
Alice Through the Looking Glass
By Lewis Carroll, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 2005
Front cover: Big Mama Makes the World
Big Mama Makes the World
By Phyllis Root, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 2002
Book cover: Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Helen Oxenbury’s Big Baby Book
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker 2002
Front cover: Franny B Kranny, There’s a Bird in Your Hair
Franny B Kranny, There’s a Bird in Your Hair
By Harriet Lerner and Susan Goldhor, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker 2001

2010's

Front cover - Helen Oxenbury - A Life in Illustration
Helen Oxenbury - A Life in Illustration
by Leonard S. Marcus and Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker Books in 2019
Front Cover - Little Red Riding Hood book
Little Red Riding Hood
Retold by Beatrix Potter, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Penguin Random House Children's UK in 2019
Book cover - Captain Jack and the Pirates
Captain Jack and the Pirates
Peter Bently, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Puffin in 2016
Front Cover: The Great Jumperee
The Great Jumperee
By Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Puffin in 2017
Book Cover: Time to Dream
Now Time to Dream
By Timothy Knapmann, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 2016
Front cover: When Charley Met Grandpa
When Charley Met Grandpa
By Amy Hest, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker in 2013
Book cover: Charley’s First Night
Charley’s First Night
By Amy Hest, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 2012
Book cover: King Jack and the Dragon
King Jack and the Dragon
By Peter Bently, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Puffin in 2011
Book cover: There’s Going to Be a Baby By John Burningham, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker in 2010
There’s Going to Be a Baby
By John Burningham, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and Published by Walker in 2010

2020's

Front Cover - Air Miles
Air Miles
John Burningham with Bill Salaman. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Puffin in 2021
Front cover - Welcome to the World
Welcome to the World
by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Puffin in 2023
Front Cover - Oh dear
Oh Dear, Look What I Got
By Michael Rosen, Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker in 2025