A CONTEST set up in order to find the best new illustrator of children's books has been won by Boz Groden, of Tregaron.

The contest was launched some weeks ago by the small Welsh publisher Greencroft Books. In spite of considerable efforts, it had failed to find an established illustrator who could provide artwork which was 'just right' for Brian John's first children's book, entitled 'The Strange Affair of the Ethiopian Treasure Chest'.

The competition attracted great interest among budding (and established) illustrators, but because artwork had to be produced in around two weeks, many artists fell by the wayside, and in the event only 15 of the entries received were in the form required. These were narrowed down to a shortlist of four, and then Boz Groden was chosen as the winner.

"Boz is an amazing talent," said Brian. "We were looking for an artist who could capture movement and character in his or her drawings, and whose work had a quirky and even edgy quality. Boz's drawings had all of this in abundance, and unlike most of the other competitors, he put a lot of effort into producing stunning artwork for the book cover. He is a worthy winner, and we hope that when the book is in print (in around two weeks' time) readers of all ages will agree with us!"

When the book is launched, Boz will receive a prize of £200, plus 24 copies of the book, and also a complete set of Brian's Angel Mountain novels. The book will be on sale throughout Wales during the Christmas shopping season.