Banbury school children design Christmas elves for new book

Competition winning students, Nancy, Sofia-Rose, Florence and Joseph with their Elf designs.

Four children from the Bishop Loveday CoE Primary School have had their Christmas elf designs picked as characters for a new children’s book.

The pupils were asked to design their own spirit elf by local author Clare Anderson, with each student coming up with a name and superpower for their creation.

The young artists' prize was to have their ideas turned into fictional characters by a professional illustrator, and then to be featured in Clare' children's fantasy adventure book, The Lost Wish.

126 children, aged between five and 10 from the school submitted drawings with the winners chosen as Florence, five, Joseph, five, Nancy, seven and Sofia-Rose who is 10.

Some of the Elf designs displayed at Bishop Loveday school.

Joseph named his space-traveling elf Giddy Up Harry because he rearranges stars into arrows to help people who are lost, whilst Sofia-Rose's creation, Victer the Animal Finder, uses his super hearing to help find lost animals.

Elfsa, whose superpower is kindness and sharing toys, is the brainchild of five-year-old Florence. Whereas for Nancy, it was all about Starlight the Elf, who reads people's minds to help their dreams come true.

Nancy said: "I chose the superpower of reading people's minds and making dreams come true because it would make my elf really kind

"I am so excited that Starlight, my own elf, will be in a book."

Winners Florence, Nancy and Joseph with Bishop Loveday headteacher Mrs Loader

The winning pupils' elves were brought to life by Emma Kurran, The Lost Wish's illustrator and a former character animator, who has worked on films including The Jungle Book, Guardians of the Galaxy and Exodus: Of Gods and Kings.

Clare, a mother and co-author of The Lost Wish, alongside Emily Jacobs, said: "The children's spirit elves were so imaginative, we had to pick four winners rather than just one!

"Our illustrator Emma has brought them lovingly to life and it is just incredible to see them on the page.

"My own undiagnosed dyslexia meant I wasn't much of a reader as a child, but I loved watching movies. My mum was a working single parent and I don't remember us reading together very much.

"My ultimate wish is that children, alongside their parents, will be encouraged to not just sit down and read together but to reconnect with the world around them."

Banbury school children design Christmas elves for new book

The Lost Wish is the first book by Chipping Norton author Clare Anderson, and is now available to buy from most book sellers, including Amazon.

The book is described as an enchanting and magical fantasy wellbeing adventure book for 2022.