Ellan Rankin

BELFAST ZOO

Ellan Rankin

This submission is a children’s picture book, based on a true story. In Belfast Zoo during ww2, there was a baby elephant called Sheila. She would get scared during the air-raids, so her Keeper decided to sneak her home. It was a big secret... until the incident...

ELLAN RANKIN is a Northern Irish Author, Illustrator and Picturebook maker, recently graduated from Cambridge School of Art with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration. A huge animal lover, her stories usually centre around animals and the silly stories that she reads about them in the news. She is also inspired by cinema and history and loves nothing more than to create an environment using historical references- whether that be a 1980s jacket or a 1930s living room. She likes leaving clues about the character within images, so keep an eye out when looking at her work! When not illustrating, she is generally found cuddling her dog, playing video games or thinking about all the foods she would love to eat but probably shouldn’t. www.ellanrankin.com

JURY REPORT Ellan has uncovered and illuminated a delightful true story from Belfast Zoo during World War II. The shared adventures of keeper and elephant are brought to life through a sequence of comical, playful and sharply observed illustrations. Ellan’s ability with colour, composition and use of media is evident, as are her storytelling skills which beautifully articulate a charming relationship between the two main characters.

Flash forward 50ish years, a mysterious old photograph was found with an elephant in someone’s garden. A hunt is on to find this mysterious woman in the photo. However, as an old lady takes her granddaughter to the zoo she’s oblivious to all the fuss, she only has eyes for her old friend. As we weave through this book, we discover stories of Belfast during WW2 to the future. The book explores these many stories… including an incredible act of kindness in a difficult time… through an old lady sharing her stories with her granddaughter.