Ever seen a snowman in a face mask? Or one of Santa’s little helpers running “Elf and Safety”? What about a friendly festive dragon dropping presents over London?
No? Well look no further than this year’s cracking Christmas covers competition, where extraordinary artists from across the country put their pen (or pencils, or pritt stick, or paints) to paper
We received more than 500 entries in total this year and they were all so good we wanted to show the world.
“This year, more than any other, it’s been so important to feel some kind of emotional connection with one another,” said competition judge and children’s author Nadia Shireen.
“These entries made me have an instant gut reaction. All of these artworks made me smile, laugh or have a warm tingly feeling in my heart.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Read on to see some of our favourites and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the magazine if you want to see yours in print!
Eva Leigh Banks, 11, from Blackburn
Kids cover_4__Page_25
“A really brilliant drawing of Father Christmas and Rudolph,” said Nadia, “and a simple message that made me want to cry. I’m going to do my best to sprinkle some more kindness around after seeing this cover.”
Hayden Beck, 12, from Dudley
Kids cover_4__Page_81
“I love that even though our snowman friend is wearing a mask, there’s still a colourful rainbow behind him reminding us all that better times are ahead. I thought this was such a bold and bright image. And yeah, it is all a bit ‘different’.”
Darcey Weave, 11, from Horsham
Kids cover_6__Page_03
Hallie Bunn, 8, from Bridgenorth
Kids cover_3__Page_44
Sophie Clarke, 11, from Cardiff
Kids cover_12__Page_11
Henrietta Hare, 12, from Bristol
Kids cover_3__Page_26
Sam Oldham, 10, from Hackney, East London
EPSON MFP image
Scarlett Brindley, 11, from Blackburn
Kids cover_4__Page_57
Stan Taylor-Bogue, 9, from London
Kids cover_4__Page_40
Given how the school year has been disrupted so severely by lockdown and everything that’s happened, it was heartening that so many hardworking teachers got their students involved. We received hundreds of entries from schools across the country.
We’d like to give a special mention to some of them:
The 117 pupils at Erskine Stewart’s Melville Junior School (librarian Gill Peters for overseeing entries). Miss James and her Year 6 class at St Mary’s in Cardiff, Wellfield Middle School in Whitley Bay, Henley Green Primary School in Coventry, Burnfoot Community School in Hawick, The Orion Primary School in London, Ashton First School in Evesham, Hurstpierpoint Prep School in West Sussex and Gullane Primary School.
Apologies if we haven’t had space to mention you but rest
assured all the pictures we received were amazing and you are a credit to your schools and communities!
3.8 million people in the UK live in extreme poverty. Turn your anger into action - become a Big Issue member and give us the power to take poverty to zero.
