Childrens book illustrator and writer Rebecca Elliott from Great Cornard has been nominated for a prestigious national award for her work "The Kate Greenaway Medal". Rebecca in her studio with her book "Zoo Girl" that got her the nomination.

A CHILDREN’S author and illustrator is celebrating after being nominated for the highest honour in her field.

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Rebecca Elliott, 32, of Great Cornard, has been recommended for the Kate Greenaway Medal for her book Zoo Girl.

The work, which she has both penned and illustrated, tells the story of a young girl left behind at a zoo, who befriends the animals there.

The medal recognises outstanding illustration in children’s books and is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

Mrs Elliott, who completed a degree in philosophy before turning her hand to drawing and writing, said she was “amazed” to be nominated.

She said: “I was really surprised and elated to be nominated because there are literally thousands of children’s books released every year.

“The whole nomination process is special because the books have to be recommended by librarians. I can’t believe my work has been chosen among other great names on the list such as Axel Scheffler, who illustrated The Gruffalo.”

Mrs Elliott has been a professional illustrator for 10 years and has written for the past three, but she admits getting noticed in such an overcrowded market posed a challenge.

“Ever since I was about five years old, I used to draw and write books at home and I always dreamed of one day seeing them in print,” she continued.

“The problem is that everyone thinks they can write a book, but it is a skill like anything else that has to be learned thoroughly and practised before you can succeed.”

Initially, Mrs Elliott only illustrated the books, but after the birth of her first child she was inspired to write.

She produced three books in 2009, and her agent managed to place them all with different publishers.

Since then she has had another four books published and is in the process of writing another three. Her two children, Clementine, seven, and Toby, three, feature in much of her work.

She added: “I have to say that all the hard work has been worthwhile and getting my first book back from the publishers was such a buzz. I consider myself very lucky to be able to do this for a living, let alone being recognised in this way.”