Helen Oxenbury was born in Ipswich, grew up in Felixstowe and brought up her family in Hampstead, London. She was married to another great children's writer and illustrator, John Burningham.
Probably best known for illustrating the modern children's classic, 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' Helen is also credited for conceiving board books for babies.

Her images are stunningly simple yet she can convey a wealth of emotions, an array of expressions, in just half a dozen dots and dashes!

This book boasts reproductions of some of her best known illustrations as gloriously colourful, full page spreads as well as an account of her life and her achievements, with comments from some of the authors she has worked with, too. The book is a large, and heavy, volume but the text is larger than usual print running across the page, rather like a children's book for adults, and it's strangely comforting!