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John Burningham’s final picture book is poignant tale of ‘difficult’ dog’s last trip

<span>Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian</span>
Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

The final picture book from the late, much-loved children’s author John Burningham – in which “difficult dog” Miles goes on one final journey – has been completed by his friend Bill Salaman and illustrated by his wife, Helen Oxenbury.

Burningham, who died in 2019 at the age of 82, wrote and illustrated some of the 20th century’s most treasured picture books, from Mr Gumpy’s Outing to Granpa. He was married for more than 50 years to Oxenbury, whose illustrations adorn picture books including We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. Oxenbury said that when Burningham became ill, he asked her to finish the book he was working on, Air Miles, for him.

Out on 17 June, Air Miles is a follow-up to Burningham’s 2016 picture book Motor Miles, which told of the adventures of Miles, a “very difficult dog” who, as Burningham writes, “did not come when he was called, did not like going for walks, did not like his food. Or the rain. He barked too much and he didn’t like other dogs.” Miles is only happy when out on trips in the car, and the family’s neighbour realises he needs a car of his own.

Air Miles, whose story has been completed by the couple’s lifelong friend Salaman, sees the dog getting a little older and not always enjoying the things he used to. “But a new challenge awaits when Miles takes to the skies for one final, wonderful journey,” said publisher Jonathan Cape, describing the title as “a deeply poignant book about new horizons and saying goodbye … a picture book of beauty, infinite possibility, and love, which explores loss and grief in subtle and comforting ways”.

Oxenbury said Miles had been the couple’s “much-loved but very difficult” Jack Russell. “While thinking about his second Miles story, John became very ill and realised he may not be able to ­finish this book. John asked me if I would ­ finish Air Miles for him. At this point Miles had died, so I thought my contribution could be my homage to the two much-loved men in my life,” she said.

The book will also include three of Burningham’s illustrations, with his thumbnail sketches used for the endpapers.

Related: John Burningham – a life in pictures

Oxenbury and Burningham, who won the first ever joint BookTrust lifetime achievement award in 2018, only previously collaborated on one title, 2010’s There’s Going to be a Baby. Speaking to the Guardian in 2018, Burningham said it was “much easier if we don’t really”. He would work on the ground floor of their home, while Oxenbury had a studio outside. “We can take it in small doses, but if we worked in the same studio it would be dreadful,” he said at the time. “Feathers would fly,” added Oxenbury.