Helen Oxenbury

Helen Gillian Oxenbury (born 1938) is an English illustrator and writer of children’s picture books. She lives in North London. She is a two-time winner and four-time runner up for the annual Kate Greenaway Medal, the British librarians’ award for illustration. For the 50th anniversary of that Medal (1955–2005) her 1999 illustrated edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was named one of the top ten winning works.

Books in order of publication:

• The Quangle Wangle’s Hat (Heinemann, 1969), by Edward Lear (late 19th century)

—joint winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal

• The Dragon of an Ordinary Family (Heinemann, 1969), by Margaret Mahy

—joint winner of the Greenaway Medal

• Pig Tale (1973), written in rhyme and illustrated
• Cakes and Custard (Heinemann, 1975_, children’s rhymes selected by Brian Alderson (children’s book critic)
• I can (1985), a board book for babies
• I hear (1985), a board book for babies
• I see (1985), a board book for babies
• The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Story Book (1985), familiar folk tales
• All Fall Down (1987), written and illustrated
• Clap Hands (1987), written and illustrated
• Say Goodnight (1987), written and illustrated
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Walker, 1989), retold by Michael Rosen

—winner of the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (age 0–5 and overall)

—Greenaway runner up, Highly Commended

• Farmer Duck (Walker), 1991, by Martin Waddell

—winner of the British Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year and the Smarties Prize (age 0–5 and overall)

—Greenaway runner up, Highly Commended

• The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig (1993), illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, written by Eugene Trivizas

—Greenaway runner up, Highly Commended

—Parents’ Choice Gold Award

• It’s My Birthday (1993), written and illustrated
• So Much (Walker), 1994, by Trish Cooke

—winner of the Kurt Maschler Award and the Smarties Prize (ages 0–5 years)

—Greenaway runner up, Highly Commended

• Tickle, Tickle (1999), written and illustrated

—Booktrust Early Years Award

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Walker Books, 1999), an edition of the 1865 classic by Lewis Carroll

—winner of the Kurt Maschler Award and the Kate Greenaway Medal.

• Franny B. Kranny, There’s a Bird in Your Hair (2000), by Harriet Goldhor Lerner
• Big Momma Makes the World (2002), by Phyllis Root

—winner of the 2003 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Picture Book

• Alice Through the Looking Glass (Walker, 2005), an edition of Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (1871)
• The Growing Story (2007), by Ruth Krauss (1947)
• 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