Competition 2026
The Children’s Bookshow competition, judged by author and illustrator Ken Wilson-Max, offers you a chance to win a trip to London to meet Ken Wilson-Max at The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. Ken is the illustrator and writer of the picture book The Big Green (Otter-Barry Books), as well as Astro Girl, Eco Girl and Aqua Boy. The prize is for two adults and one child sharing a hotel room for one night on a bed and breakfast basis and includes return travel to London.
The winner and their parents will be met at the Quentin Blake Centre for illustration in Clerkenwell and will be introduced to Ken Wilson-Max. They will then enjoy tea and cake together with Children’s Bookshow staff and visit the centre’s free library, shop, learning spaces and garden.
There will also be £200 of free books for the school library of the winning child which will be sent by post to the school.
Our Competition Judge, Ken Wilson-Max
Author and illustrator, Ken Wilson-Max, whose books include The Big Green, and Astro Girl will be waiting to judge your entries!
What do I have to do?
Imagine the garden you would like to have. It could be very tiny, in just one flowerpot, or very big, as big as Quentin Blake’s in Clerkenwell! Then create a picture of this garden - make it very colourful with paints, crayons, coloured pencils, felt tips, collage, whatever you like. Then give it a caption, and write:
“In my garden I’d like to grow …..”
Send it to us and Ken Wilson-Max will look at your entries and choose the winner and six runners-up.
How to enter
You must be resident in the UK and be aged 11 or under.
You must include the following information:
- Your name
- Your age
- The name and address of your school
Submit your scanned entries to: competition@thechildrensbookshow.com
OR if you'd like to send physical copies you can
Send your entries to:
Kate Arafa
The Children’s Bookshow
Rock Cottage
West Buckland
Kingsbridge
Devon
TQ7 3AQ
Closing date:
Tuesday, 8th December 2026
Entries received after this date will not be accepted.
Terms & Conditions
Instructions form part of the rules. The winning entry is the one judged to be the best and the judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will receive a copy of a book by each of the writers and illustrators plus £200 of books for their school. Six runners-up will receive a copy of The Big Green by Ken Wilson-Max.
