Tom and Pippo on the Beach

Tom and Pippo

by Helen Oxenbury

When Tom and Pippo go to the beach, Daddy makes sure that Tom wears his sun hat. But Tom says that Pippo needs a sun hat too, so Daddy makes him a nifty newspaper hat of his own. It's so nifty, in fact, that Tom seems to appreciate the novelty of the paper hat more than his monkey friend does!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Married to John Burningham

Born in 1938 and growing up in Ipswich, England, Helen Oxenbury loved nothing more than drawing. As a teenager, she entered art school and basked in the pleasure of drawing, and nothing but drawing, all day. During vacations she helped out at the Ipswich Repertory Theatre workshop, mixing paints for set designers. It was there that she decided her future lay in theater design.

While studying costume design, however, Helen Oxenbury was told by a teacher, "This is hopeless, you know. You ought to go and do illustrations--you're much more interested in the character, and we don't know who's going to play the part!"


But sets and scenery, not books, remained Helen Oxenbury's preoccupation for several more years as she embarked on careers in theater, film, and TV. After marrying John Burningham, another of the world's most eminent children's book illustrators, and giving birth to their first child, at last she turned to illustrating children's books. "When I had babies," Helen Oxenbury says, "I wanted to be home with them and look for something to do there."


Today, Helen Oxenbury is among the most popular and critically acclaimed illustrators of her time. Her numerous books for children include the Greenaway Medal-winning ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND and its companion, ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, both by Lewis Carroll; Smarties Book Prize-winning FARMER DUCK by Martin Waddell; SO MUCH by Trish Cooke; as well as her classic board books for babies. More recently, she collaborated with author Phyllis Root on the jubilant, no-nonsense tall tale BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD. "As I read Phyllis's text, I imagined Big Momma as part Buddha, part housewife," she says. "It was intimidating to create a whole world, but very enjoyable."


And what does she love most about her work? Thinking up new ideas? Seeing the finished book? Not at all. For Helen, "The best part is when I think I know what I'm doing and I've completed a few drawings. In fact, when I get about a third of the way through, and I feel I'm on my way, then I'm happy. It's like reading a good book--you don't want it to end."


Helen Oxenbury and her husband make their home in London, where the illustrator works in a nearby studio. She is also an avid tennis player.

Reviews

[Matt Guendel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that this book should young kids reading it good life lessons on providing, sharing, and putting others before yourself. It was a simple book, and the story line wasn't complex, but Oxenbury still was able to put all of those life lessons in this book. It also was a good book for young kids because it could get them excited about spending a day at the beach with their dad. It could also make kids interested in making hats out of newspaper, which I think is one of the lost arts about being a kid today. They spend more time playing video games, and less time doing activities that kids use to do. There are not a lot of words per page so I would say this book is for kindergardeners to 1st grade. One thing that could make parents not want to read this book to their children is because the main character Tom tends to argue with his dad and not follow his instructions. But it is never really in an obnoxious way. The illustrations in this book are mediocre and strait to the point. Over all it is a mediocre book I think and not one that I would remember reading without goodreads. I would still keep it in my kindergarden and preschool classrooms though. If I were to have my kids do a lesson it would be to make hats out of newspaper during my arts and crafts time held in a preschool setting.

[teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Illustrations and short but delightful text. Good for reading to very young to those even up to five. I recommend all the tom and pippo books.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why there aren't more ratings and reviews for Helen Oxenbury's books. They are full of super sweet babies! I need to find our copies of the I Can, I See, etc. series.

[Pour Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pas leur meilleur. J'aime pas trop quand ils montrent des enfants se chicaner ou être méchants dans un livre, des plans pour donner des idées aux enfants.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the heck? This is worse than the picture book about Santa spending 6 months in jail...