Mayo schoolgirl's picture chosen by Harry Potter author for new book
A WESTPORT schoolgirl is celebrating after one of her pictures was chosen by author JK Rowling for her latest book.
Lottie Billington, age nine, was one of 38 winners chosen from an entry of 18,000 worldwide.
And her schoolmates in Brackloon National School get to share in her success – as part of her prize her school has won €500 worth of books.
Lottie also has another prize to treasure – she has received a copy of The Ickabog signed by JK Rowling.
When Covid-19 hit, the Harry Potter author set about completing the story of The Ickabog and invited children from all around the world to illustrate the story for the finished hard copy book.
Out of thousands of entries, Lottie, who was eight when her peacock picture was completed, was one the chosen few to have her artwork selected for the final publication, which is on book shelves now.
This morning, she spoke on RTÉ Radio 1 with Ryan Tubridy, along with her mum Sarah, and told him all about her love of books.
Lottie told Ryan how she likes drawing animals, with the different details and colours in her pictures, and she chose the peacock for Rowling's book. It took 'a few hours', with all the feathers, and the beak and the eyes, but all the hard work certainly paid off.
Lottie is a big Harry Potter fan, and loves reading in general - books and on her Kindle – and agreed that Westport has great bookshops.
Lottie was joined by Sarah, who is also mum to Rosie, and they told Ryan about her late husband, Mal, and his influence on the girls – reading to her bumps when she was pregnant.
Lottie left many listeners in tears as she spoke about how she and sister Rosie remember their Dad on his birthday each year by buying 'hot drinks' for random customers in a local coffee shop.
You can listen back to the heart-warming interview on the RTÉ Radio 1 player.