Bookttrust has announced the longlist of illustrators for The Big Picture Campaign to find and promote new talent in children's picture books. All 27 of the selected illustrators were first published in the UK since 2000. Ten winners will be chosen from this list by tTe Big Picture Committee and the results will be announced by Michael Rosen at the Bologna Children's Book Fair on 31 March 2008.

The winning illustrators will participate in promotional activity intended to raise the significance and importance of illustration. This will include collaboration with the Rough Guides to produce The Rough Guide to Picture Books. They will also be participating in promotional events in libraries, festivals and bookshops throughout 2008.

The campaign aims to build an appreciation of picturebooks, encouraging new audiences and suppoting emerging illustrators.

The Big Picture Website

The longlist is:

Deborah Allwright

Laura Carlin

Alexis Deacon

Polly Dunba

Lisa Evans

Shelley Fowles

Emily Gravett

Mini Grey

Laura Hambleton

Oliver Jeffers

Simone Lia

Sam Lloyd

David Lucas

Sarah Massini

Mei Matsuoka

Sam McCullen

Alice Melvin

Gwen Milward

Catherine Rayner

David Roberts

Viviane Scwarz

Joel Stewart

Il Sung Na

Kanako Usui

Vicky White

Thomas Doherty

Mungo M'Cosh