“Keep away from the bloody computer!”: Helen Oxenbury on the art of illustrating childhood

It’s Nice That (INT): So first off, it would be great to know a little bit about your early experiences with creativity. At what point did it become clear that you had the talent and passion for illustration?

Helen Oxenbury (HO): Well, I think it was probably my husband, John. Do you know the work of my husband?

INT: Yes! Avocado Baby is another favourite of mine.

HO: Yes! Well, after we got married and started a family, as it was in those days, we had not a penny between us, and we couldn’t afford childcare. So I had to do something at home. Somebody suggested to me perhaps I could do children’s books – because it’d be almost like a sort of illustration – and my husband did his books. I’d done some greeting cards for somewhere called Gallery Five, which was run by Jan Pieńkowski who is also an illustrator.

I think it was he who suggested that, I think he said: “Why don't you try and do a children's book Helen?” – and I did! There weren’t many around then, honestly, I’m talking about sort of 50 years ago. It [Helen’s first book] was accepted by the publisher Heinemann, and so from then on I didn’t look back. But I didn’t study. I didn’t do a course in illustration, it only came about from watching my late husband working.

INT: So prior to that, did you have a relationship with creativity?

HO: Well, I was drawing. I mean, in my younger days, we didn’t have television, or anything like that! All we used to get was a piece of paper and some paints.

INT: That's a nice way of putting it, because my colleague has two children and she was just talking about how much she loves Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes because of how honest it is about how messy and snotty children are, and a lot of books aren’t.

HO: Yes, that’s right! After all, they’re very tiny children – well at least the ones I illustrate for – and it’s the parents who often go out and buy the books, and if there isn’t something that appeals to them, they’re not going to buy the book! And they’re also going to be so bored. I’ve actually hidden books – ones I just cannot read again!

INT: Gosh, I can imagine! When you approach a book, how much influence do you have in creating how the worlds look and feel? Is that completely down to you, or do you have some sort of dialogue with the author?

HO: No, it’s totally down to me. I couldn’t really have any conversation with either the author, editors or anybody. They just have to leave me alone, and trust that I will do it and that they will like it! Often, the things that they don't like, I’ve had to change… when I can see their point of view.

But for instance, an example of that, Michael Rosen, he visualised We’re Going on a Bear Hunt in a completely different way to how I did it. He couldn't believe it when he saw it! He was like, is this the same book?

INT: That’s so interesting! Because obviously that’s just such a widely loved book now, so it’s surprising that it has that sort of difference of perspective at its core.

HO: I thank God Michael, in his wisdom, left it alone. We didn’t have any conversations or anything, and I just worked on it on my own and took it into the publisher, and he came in and saw it for the first time at the publishers.

INT: That’s a great story. Would you say the style of authors and the way they write ever influences you?

HO: I find that it influences what medium I’m using and how I do things. I’ve had a few texts, actually, where the characters are very strong, and watercolour… it’s not a strong enough medium to depict these characters. So I turned to gouache. So there have been a few where the text suggested to me that that would be the best medium to do them in. That applies to a book I did called So Much, and another one called Big Momma Mama Makes the World. I also did one with my late husband, called There’s Going to be a Baby, and, I don’t know why, but I thought it should have a sort of Japanese influence and followed that instinct, with the colour and everything. It is really the text that dictates what I do.

INT: I was a child reading your books and now I’m seeing my niece and nephew read the same books and love them just as much.

HO: Oh, that’s lovely.

INT: What do you think it is about your style that has made it resonate for so long?

HO: Oh god, I have absolutely no idea! I have really, really no idea. I think you’ll have to ask the audience! But then little children can’t put it into words…

I do, if possible, I like to really ram a bit of humour into everything and I think little kids love to have a laugh, they love to poke at something that makes them giggle. But, also, it’s a way to bring it back down to earth.

INT: So, onto the exhibition. Obviously your work often exists in this very contained format of a book, so what’s it been like to get your work ready for an exhibition?

HO: You can’t imagine how much work 60 years produces. I mean, I’ve had to have about three people sorting it out, a lot of it is up to them. It would have taken all my time! These lovely women who’ve been doing it for me, I give them a pile of finished drawings, and then they reduce it down, and then I choose out of that lot.

INT: What advice would you give to someone trying to find their way in children’s book illustration?

HO: I don’t know if I’m terribly out of date, terribly old fashioned, I really don’t know. But I would say: keep away from the bloody computer! Children are the same now as they were 100 years ago, and what they like, and what they find funny, and what they find sad, and what they find exciting is the same. Really just express what you want to express and try to make your characters real, and to hope that children will know what you’re trying to get at.

INT: I love that – keep away from the bloody computer!

HO: Oh yes, but you know, people will think I’m a silly old fart who doesn’t know what she’s talking about!

INT: No! I think people will relate to that.

HO: It’s about emotion! You’ve got to move people in any way possible. Whether it’s with laughter, or with fright. Any sort of emotion is better than none.

Helen Oxenbury: Illustrating the Land of Childhood is on at Burgh House, London until 14 December 2025.