Pippo Gets Lost

Tom and Pippo

by Helen Oxenbury

Tom is very worried when he searches the house and can't find Pippo

Genres: Picture Books

16 pages, Board book

First published January 1, 1989

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

[Pingping Xiao · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Pippo seriers today. It is by Helen Oxenbury. I think they are very nice books for kids around 3 to 5 years old about logical thinking. Pippo, the soft-toy monkey, is Tom's friend and the two of them go everywhere together. They go for a walk and read a story and have a busy day. And when Pippo gets lost, Tom has to search for him. Tom was very worried, he checked again and again of his toy-chest, even looked under his bed. Still cannot find Pippo. He cried to mom, with the help of mom, they finally find Pippo in the living room. After reading it, I want to summary 3 great parts of this book. First of all, it is a very good picture book to build children's logical thinking. While read it for children, they must thinking where did Pippo go? And how can we find Pippo? So we can continue read the story with questions. Also you can ask children, what do you think that where Pippo would go? In that way, leading children to think. Answers from kids must be very creative, they would say anywhere surprise you about where Pippo can go. And secondly, when Tom cannot find Pippo, the first thing he did was to ask his mom. By this action, we can educate children when anything happen, go to talk with your parents, and ask for help. So it might somehow influence their future that they will make decisions after discussing with family. The last good point of this book is in the last page, when Tom talk to Pippo: Tell me before you go away next time. It reminds children where ever they go, tell parents first. Otherwise, we will be so worries like Tom worries Pippo.
Overall, nice book. Recommend to you all.

[Savannah Spaulding]

This book about a little boy named Tom and his stuffed monkey Pippo. Pippo the monkey gets lost while Tom is playing with other toys and he has to find him by himself. As he is searching he has many emotions. He becomes sad that he lost his favorite toy and it might be gone forever, angry that he can’t find it and then finally happy once he finds his monkey. What I liked about this book was that children are able to see a range of emotions when reading through it. I think it could help the reader understand their emotions better and be able to sympathize with Tom because many children lose their favorite toy and think it is lost forever and when their parents will not help them out they have to find it by themselves and learn to remember where they put their things.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

110 - 2016

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read this Tom and Pippo book before now, but it makes a fine addition to the series!