John Burningham's animals – in pictures

John Burningham has been illustrating children's books for 50 years. This is a scene from his latest book, The Way to the Zoo. Just like Sylvie's torch in this image, we will be illuminating a whole host of John's amazing animal creations in this gallery!
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

The Way to the Zoo tells the story of Sylvie, who finds a secret door leading to a zoo just next to her bedroom
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

Would you like to give penguins a bath and dry them with your own towel? That's what Sylvie does one night in The Way to the Zoo. Warning: the penguins make a lot of mess splashing in the bathroom, so if you meet any it might be best to direct them to the nearest pond
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

A mummy tiger and a baby tiger in The Way to the Zoo. The mummy tiger sleeps in a chair inside the house, and the tiger cub ends up sleeping in Sylvie's bed!
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

Can you imagine monkeys going wild in your house and eating all the fruit by night? That's just what happens in The Way to the Zoo. Things get so bad Sylvie has to ask some of them to leave after they steal too much
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker

All manner of birds fly around Sylvie's house by night in The Way to the Zoo. They are surprisingly well-behaved
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

You didn't know kangaroos liked to watch TV, did you? That is just one of the things we learned from The Way to the Zoo. This is the scene that greets Sylvie when she comes home from school one day after forgetting to close the door to the zoo!
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

Now, a John Burningham classic. The heartwarming story of Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present has moved countless parents and carers (and a few sensitive children too) to tears since it was published in 1993
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker books

We always knew Father Christmas was kind, and it was proved once and for all in Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present. Isn't the reindeer good for taking its thermometer so calmly and not crunching it?
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

Meet John Burningham's most fabulous cat creation, the gloriously kind Malcolm from It's a Secret!, published in 2009 by Walker Books
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

Have you ever dreamed of leaving your house through the catflap? If you make friends with your cat then it might really happen. It did in It's a Secret!
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

We didn't realise what cats got up to by night until we read It's a Secret! Wouldn't you love to go a secret rooftop party with your pet cat?
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker books

No John Burningham animal gallery would be complete without the noblest dog in the world. He can cook, he can play instruments and he's probably even the anonymous saver of children's lives. It's the one and only Courtney
Photograph: John Burningham/Random House Group Ltd

And now Aldo, probably the world's loveliest and sweetest rabbit. Certainly a friend in need
Photograph: John John Burningham/Random House Group Ltd

Animals like to talk too, as John Burningham shows in Animal Chatter. Would you like to have a cup of tea and a natter with these monkeys?
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

The lion is the loudest animal friend in Animal Chatter. He can roar and roar and ROAR! Photograph: Walker Books

Here’s something you don’t see every day – a little boy carrying a huge elephant! For First Steps, John Burningham drew pictures of lots of opposites
Photograph: John Burningham/Walker Books

And lastly, a photograph of the great man himself. Author and illustrator John Burningham has been creating amazing books for children for 50 years. Congratulations to John and may he create many more!

Don't forget – if you want the chance of winning a fabulous original print and a signed copy of The Way to the Zoo, just email childrens.books@theguardian.com with the title "John Burningham comp" by 5pm on Monday 12 May and tell us why you want to win these prizes for your child in 20 words or fewer. Four runners up will also win signed copies of the book. What a lovely prize! Photograph: Walker Books