“There is a misconception that picture books for children should be packed with colour and decoration on every page. This is like saying a successful piece of music should be crammed full of loud notes. It’s the juxtaposition and build-up of sound that makes music interesting.”

John Burningham talking
about the Shirley books
Author/illustrator Lauren Child revisits a favourite John Burningham illustration
Over the summer of 2024, National trust Mottisfont hosted Bedtime Stories, an exhibition of John Burningham's work
John Burningham’s Champagne focusses on the quintessentially British summer season of events all subject to the unpredictable British weather
Let it snow explores the winter season through 3 Burningham books. Seasons, Trubloff - the Mouse who wanted to play the Balalaika and The Snow
It's Christmas Eve and there is one present left in Father Christmas's sack. It's for a small boy called Harvey Slumfenburger.
Ignite Music, specialists in new classical music for young people, creat a new production of Borka the Opera to mark Borka’s 60th birthday.
In the mid 1970’s John Burningham published a series of books on first experiences for younger children
John Burningham's ABC followed Borka in 1964. Given the freedom to do pretty much what he liked, It gained its effect simply as a suite of individual gorgeous paintings
Out
Summerhill under it's founder A.S.Neil was the most famous free school of it's time. The young Burningham spent 3-4 years there and thrived in it's atmosphere