Big Draw For Kids -- Illustrator Helen Oxenbury's Board Books Have Clear, Simple Images - And Often Speak To Both Children And Adults

During the early '80s, when I was attending college in Oregon, shelving books for the local public library and spending every spare moment in the dance studio, I had a voracious appetite for anything written about dance.

When I noticed a new picture book titled "The Dancing Class," by British author/illustrator Helen Oxenbury, I immediately riffled through it, only to find myself laughing out loud at the illustrations of waddling preschoolers taking their first steps toward refined movement.

These days, many of her books are considered classics. Oxenbury, who lives in London, was one of the first illustrators to experiment with board books, those sturdy volumes with cardboard pages that fit neatly into small hands yet can withstand enthusiastic treatment. Her work in this area - for example, "I Touch," which came out in 1985 - is still considered a benchmark by illustrators and critics alike.

Unlike some of the overly cluttered baby books now making their way to the shelves, Oxenbury's board books are characterized by clear, simple images of things young children can relate to: babies, pets, mothers, fathers, toys. Her adorable figures, rendered in minimal lines and warm colors, always convey at least a hint of humor. And her books often work on several levels, speaking to both children and adults.

Oxenbury first saw a need for board books when she noticed her then 6-month-old daughter's fascination with pictures. "My third daughter used to love to look at catalogs of children's clothes and equipment," she said during a recent phone interview. "So I went around looking for books that would suite her age, but found very little."

Not long after that, Sebastian Walker of the British publisher Walker Books asked her what kind of work she wanted to do. Oxenbury came up with the idea of creating books for babies and toddlers, books she eventually tested on her daughter.

The King County Library System appreciates Oxenbury's books and persuaded her to do some artwork for its "Read Me a Story" program, which has been created to inform new parents about the importance of sharing books with babies.

For the next year, women who deliver babies at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue will receive a packet that includes tips on ways to stimulate brain development in their infants. Also included is a special bib designed by Oxenbury, and a coupon for a free Oxenbury board book that can be redeemed at the Bellevue Regional Library.

The artist agreed to work on this project because she is a firm believer in sharing books with babies.

Her own three children are now grown, but lately she's found another enthusiastic fan, her 2-month-old granddaughter, who already recognizes drawn images of children's faces. Oxenbury is convinced parents can nurture future book lovers if they expose their children to books very early.

She doesn't reserve all her work for those under 2. For the slightly older preschool audience, she has put together the popular "Tom and Pippo" series about a young boy and his stuffed monkey. She has also collaborated with several other authors on works, such as the award-winning "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen, "Farmer Duck" by Martin Waddell and "So Much" by Trish Cooke, a notable departure from her previous work.

At 60, this well-respected artist has a hefty stack of work under her belt, with more on the way. Yet she never intended to be an illustrator. She studied theater design in college, later working on sets. During that time she met the man she'd eventually marry, illustrator John Burningham, whose own books, including favorites such as "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" and "Come Away from the Water, Shirley" has received wide acclaim.

After the two got together, Oxenbury continued to work in the theater while Burningham dug into his art. Soon she found herself gaining an education in a whole new field. "I watched John do several books, and it ended up being a course on illustration for me." So when their first child was born, she gave up set design and started creating children's books - something she could do at home.

The two artists work in separate quarters - Burningham in their Hampstead home, Oxenbury in an outside studio.

Recently, she put the final touches on her illustrations of a perennial favorite: "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." She'd thought about working on the classic for at least 10 years before finally taking the plunge. "Once I started, I wished I hadn't, because `Alice' came with a lot of baggage," she says, referring to the outstanding illustrations already in existence. She didn't want to join her predecessors unless she could add something that hadn't been done before. It was the encouragement of her publisher that kept her on track.

Now that the book is finished, Oxenbury is calling it an "Alice of today." She tried to make it more timeless than the honored version created by Sir John Tenniel in 1865. "Tenniel focused on the characters, but didn't give a feeling of the setting. I wanted to create more of the ambience." You can judge it for yourself as to whether she succeeded when the book is released this September. My bets are on her. ------------------------------- Oxenbury in town

British children's author and illustrator Helen Oxenbury will visit several regional libraries to kick off the King County Library System's "I Can Read" program. She will discuss and autograph her books. Here's a list of her appearances:

-- 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Kirkland branch of the King County Library system, 308 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland (425-822-2459).

-- 2 p.m. Monday at the Shoreline branch of the King County Library System, 345 N.E. 175th St., Shoreline (206-362-7550).

-- 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Bellevue Regional Library, 1111 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue (425-450-1765); a reception tea after storytime.

-- 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Federal Way branch of the King County Library System, 848 S. 320th St., Federal Way (253-839-0257).

-- 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Boulevard Park branch of the King County Library System, 12015 Roseberg Ave. S., Seattle (206-242-8662).

-- 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Bothell branch of the King County Library System, 18215 98th Ave. N.E., Bothell (425-486-7811).

-- 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Green Lake branch of the Seattle Public Library, 7364 E. Green Lake Drive N., Seattle (206-684-7547).