Congratulations to John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury who have won the first-ever double BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award. They are two of our most well-loved author-illustrators, and have been firm family favourites for generations.
Burningham and Oxenbury have been married for over 50 years but only ever collaborated on one book: There’s Going to be a Baby, published in 2010.
John Burningham favourites
Would You Rather…
“A series of comical choices such as, “Would you rather eat spider stew or slug dumplings or mashed worms?” ends with an invitation to bedtime.”
Borka: the adventures of a goose with no feathers
“Bald Borka is different to all the other birds. She needs a woolly jumper to keep warm and she isn’t very good at flying. Then one day she finds a new home, and suddenly Borka’s no longer the ugly duckling.”
The Shopping Basket
“An ordinary trip becomes an extraordinary adventure for Steven as he encounters all sorts of hazards on his way home.”
Mr Gumpy’s Outing
“One day, Mr Gumpy decides to take a trip along the river in his boat, but the children, the rabbit, the cat, the pig and a whole host of friends decide to join him. Everyone’s having a lovely time until the boat starts to rock.”
Avocado Baby
“The Hargraves family want their new baby to grow up big and strong. But the puny mite will hardly eat a thing. One day Mrs Hargraves finds an avocado in the fruit bowl and the baby gobbles it up. Soon, the strangest things start to happen…”
This book was published in 1982, making Avocado Baby one of the first Millennials!
Motor Miles
“Miles was a difficult dog - until he got a motor car. Now he goes on all sorts of adventures with his friend Norman. Where will they go next?”
Mouse House
“In the house there lives a family: a mum, a dad, a girl and a boy. But they are not alone; a secret mouse family is living there too, who only come out when everyone else is asleep. One day they are spotted and the mouse catcher is called. Will they escape in time?”
Helen Oxenbury favourites
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (with Mem Fox)
“As everyone knows, nothing is sweeter than tiny baby fingers and chubby baby toes. And here, from two of the most gifted picture-book creators of our time, is a celebration of baby fingers, baby toes, and the joy they - and the babies they belong to - bring to everyone, everywhere, all over the world!”
Working
“Babies have lots of work to do - eating, using the potty, having a bath and sleeping. Helen Oxenbury’s illustrations capture the happenings of a baby’s day with true insight into what matters most.”
Playing
“Babies play with all sorts of things - blocks, boxes, balls and teddy bears. Helen Oxenbury’s illustrations perfectly capture not only the toys but the baby’s delight in every one of them.”
All Fall Down
“The babies are back in this beautifully illustrated, brightly coloured bedtime book for toddlers!”
Our Dog
“A child and his mother take their dog out for her daily walk. She leaps into a smelly pond, rolls in the mud and then, when she gets home, jumps on the bed while she’s soaking wet.”
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (with Michael Rosen)
“We’re going on a bear hunt. We’re going to catch a big one. Will you come too?
“For a quarter of a century, readers have been swishy-swashying and splash-sploshing through this award-winning favourite. Follow and join in the family’s excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river and squelch through the mud in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest!”
Farmer Duck (with Martin Waddell)
“There once was a duck who had the bad luck to live with a lazy farmer. While the duck worked, the farmer lay in bed - until one day the other animals decided to take action!”