Author/illustrator Lauren Sharples revisits a favourite John Burningham illustration
Every time I see this illustration towards the end of ‘Mr Gumpy’s Outing’, I can smell the pollen and feel the spring breeze in the brushstrokes and textures of John Burningham’s painting, especially in the expressive linework of the trees. The trail of characters etched into the flowers as they dry off from their splash in the river, creates a wonderful ‘time to go home’ scene.
For me, what makes Burningham’s work so compelling is that his marks feel like suggestions of the real world rather than exact representations. This makes his scenes feel tangible, as if you have been there before, much like how this image makes me feel, having grown up in the countryside.
In this drawing, you can feel that despite the characters’ squabbling, bleating, flapping and trampling disaster that sent them into the river, they have bonded over the day they’ve spent together. As they skip back through the fields, ready for tea, this image suggests that all of the animals are invited too, and of course, the next page turn reveals a wonderful spread of all the characters sharing tea and cake together. You can’t help but want to be invited too!
Lauren Sharples is an illustrator and writer based in Leeds, with a focus on children’s books. She recently earned an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art, after completing a BA in Illustration at Leeds Arts University.
Lauren’s work is narrative-driven and rooted in nostalgic, often humorous memories of childhood. She uses expressive linework and traditional printmaking methods, frequently incorporating recycled materials like Tetra Pak and reclaimed paper to build sustainable, textured visuals.Her illustrations have received recognition from major awards, including Picture This!, the World Illustration Awards, iJungle Illustration Awards, the Macmillan Prize for Illustration, and the Penguin Cover Design Award. She was a mentee with Picture Hooks in 2025.”
Mr Gumpy’s Outing was published by Jonathon Cape in 1970. With it John Burningham became the first artist ever to win England’s Kate Greenaway Medal twice. And in 1972 it won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and made the American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Book list.
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