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Character creations are brought to book
SIX talented children will see their creations come alive in print in a new children's book about a South Yorkshire woodland.
Best-selling Rotherham author Peter J Murray wrote The Bravehearts of Bluebell Woods after he was approached by staff at the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in North Anston earlier this year.
When it was completed the hospice decided to run a competition to name the characters that will appear on its pages.
This week the entries were narrowed down to a small group of finalists whose entries will all be included.
Peter, who used to live in Rotherham, said: "The book is inspired by the wildlife that surrounds Bluebell Woods and features five quirky, furry characters. The story features the strong bond of friendship between the five main characters as they protect Bluebell Woods from invasion by the Foxmaster General and his Rat Pack Army.
"Each of the characters has distinctive human characteristics that I thought children would relate to, and I certainly found myself laughing aloud as I wrote this book.
"We thought the competition would be a great way to get children involved in supporting the hospice and interested in the book itself."
The winners included Tye Beach, from South Anston, who created Claude the Rabbit, Jasmine Coucom, from Thorne, who dreamed up Chester the Mole, and Eve Martin, from Sheffield, who named the butterfly Sapphire.
Isabelle Murray, from South Anston, came up with the original and exotic Louis Le'Splat, while Molly Sanderson, from Nottingham, named the hedgehog Hector, and Emma Webb, from Rotherham, completed the gang with Fern the Squirrel.
The characters were brought to life by Nik Daughtry, an illustrator from Sheffield.
"Peter's words have really brought the creatures of Bluebell Wood alive, and the competition has put names to faces," said Nik.
"Illustrating Hector, Claude, Louis Le Splat and their friends has been a real pleasure. I hope children and adults have fun reading the book."
The finished book will also include a special introduction written by Sir Michael Crawford OBE.
Bluebell Wood's chief executive Sarah Champion told The Star: "Peter and Nik have worked really hard in producing the book, and it is an honour to have Sir Michael Crawford involved too."
The book will hit the shelves in January 2011 and all proceeds will go to the hospice. E-mail madeleine.oldale@bluebellwood.org to pre-order a copy.
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Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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