Six-year-old wins competition to design the cover of this week’s Big Issue

Monday 30 March – A six-year-old girl has been chosen by the illustrator of The Gruffalo to have her artwork displayed on the cover of this week’s Big Issue.

April Floyer, who is from Northampton, drew a child asleep in bed after being told the theme of the Big Issue’s latest cover competition was ‘Peace’. It will now appear on the cover of this week’s Easter special of the Big Issue, which on sale from today.

April’s dad Nick Floyer told the Big Issue: “April’s drawing was simple: Someone in bed, smiling, eyes closed. She’s six. That’s what peace means to her. 

“It was only after I saw what she’d drawn that I explained how the Big Issue helps people who might not have a safe place to sleep, or a bed to sleep in at all, and that her picture might actually hold greater meaning.”

Six-year-old April added: “It must be scary for people who don’t have a safe bed or have to live outside. I know I am lucky to have a safe bed to sleep in.”

Floyer’s drawing was picked out of hundreds of submissions by illustrator Axel Scheffler, who is known for creating iconic artwork in picture books by Julia Donaldson such as The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Zog. Axel’s latest book is Love, a book about togetherness published in support of Three Peas refugee charity.

Scheffler said: “I was very happy to help judge the Big Issue cover competition and to see the wonderful pictures from children of various ages. I was impressed by the entries and many had a really good feeling for design. In such troubled times in the world, it was great to see the younger generation thinking about and expressing the importance of peace, kindness and having a safe place to sleep.”

April said: “I didn’t think he [Axel Scheffler] was going to pick mine.  I really like his pictures, especially the Ugly Five because they’re really funny.  I like his Flip Flap books because mixing the top and bottom halves of different animals is really fun.”

Last year’s Spring cover competition was won by ten-year-old Ashton Whittaker from Hull, who’s drawing of jungle animals was picked to appear on the cover of an Earth Day edition of the Big Issue by environmentalist and Big Issue ambassador Chris Packham.

You can buy this week’s Big Issue from street vendors across the UK now, or subscribe online at bigissue.com.