This story was selected as one of the OVERALL WINNERS for the Collins Big Cat Writing Competition 2022. Our judges, Anne Fine and Joanne Owen, gave the feedback below:
'Congratulations, Erynn!
I loved “The Great Escape” because it was a funny, lively, inventive response to the brief, with a wonderfully warm message about home - “in times of test, family are best”.
Your characterisation was excellent. I loved all the details of the character’s family. Your dialogue was brilliant, too – you really know how to use dialogue to bring your characters to life, and to move the story along. The dialogue really danced!
Your illustrations were excellent. In fact, your entry presented a perfect pairing of the text and images. Your illustrations and use of different font styles and font sizes added extra depth to the story. For example, I loved how the storm over Dahlia’s head showed readers how Dahlia was feeling inside. I also loved the footnotes that explained the Malay words included in your story. Brilliant work!'
