Six shortlisted for Julia Donaldson competition
10.06.09 Graeme Neill reporting in The Bookseller

An ex-army jungle expedition planner, a picture framer and a world record holder are among the shortlisted entrants for Waterstone's and Macmillan Children's Books "Picture This" competition.

In April, Waterstones.com gave readers the chance to read a brand new story from Julia Donaldson, bestselling author of books including The Gruffalo, Sharing a Shell and Tyrannosaurus Drip.

Aspring children's book illustrators were invited to provide an image from the story as well as show how they would illustrate the key characters in the story, titled Freddie and the Fairy. The prize would be a publishing contract to fully illustrate the story for publication by Macmillan Children's Books in Autumn 2010.Waterstone's received over 900 entries, from which a shortlist of six was chosen by a panel of experts including Julia onaldson, her agent Caroline Sheldon and editor Suzanne Carnell, Waterstone's picture books buyer Kate Skipper, children's writer and illustrator Lauren Child (Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean), and Daily Telegraph writer and children's book reviewer Cassandra Jardine.

The shortlisted entrants include Rod Waters, a 42 year old freelance illustrator from London and father of one, who holds a Guinness World Record for cycling between Paris and London in just over 14 hours in 1997. He said: "When I heard about the competition and read the story I knew it was perfect for me. I am putting my heart and soul into it."Another is Esther Johnson, a 24 year old from Winsford, currently a picture framer at the Church Hill Gallery in Knutsford.

Alex Paterson, a 39 year old ex-army officer and jungle expedition planner from Epsom, is a civil servant by day but is "an illustrator--as soon as I get on the train home with a dream of full time illustration".

Anna Collison, a 23 year old bookseller from Liverpool, graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University last summer with a degree in illustration and animation.

Karen George, a 43 year old artist from London, graduate of the Royal College of Art and mother of two, has long held an ambition to write and illustrate picture books.

Maria Nilsson, a 30 year old full time mum from London, has a BA in Illustration from the University of Westminster. She said: "To illustrate a story for Julia Donaldson would be a dream come true."Examples of the shortlisted artists work will be displayed at Waterstone's in Piccadilly from 10th to 21st August.

Donaldson said of the artists' work: "We have a really exciting shortlist with talent from all over the country and a good variety of illustration styles and techniques. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what they all produce for the next round."

The six must now provide full colour artwork for two more pages from the book, plus sketches for the remainder. The winner will be chosen in August and announced at the start of the Bath Children's Literature Festival on 18th September.