Illustrate Whimsical Children's Book featuring Lilah

Status: Open
Prize: $100
Entries Received: 74

Contest Brief

Looking for a talented illustrator to bring to life a children's book centered around a whimsical 8-year-old Therian named Lilah. The illustrations need to be cartoonish and vibrant, reflecting Lilah's unique characteristics and personality.
Key Aspects:- Design of Lilah: It's crucial to emphasize her Therian traits and her whimsical personality in the illustrations.
- Number of Illustrations: The book requires between 10-15 illustrations.
Ideal skills and experience for this job:
- Proven experience in children's book illustration.
- Ability to create engaging, cartoonish, and colorful designs.
- Experience with character design, particularly for unique or fantastical charactersThe first rays of dawn, painting the sky in hues of rose and apricot, found Lilah already awake. Not tucked beneath her patchwork quilt, not nestled amongst her stuffed animals, but perched on the windowsill, her small hands gripping the frame as she gazed out at the awakening world. Lilah wasn't like the other eight-year-olds in her village. They dreamed of princesses and ponies; Lilah dreamed of the rustle of leaves, the scent of damp earth, the silent glide of a fox through the undergrowth. She was a therian, or rather, a budding one. Her spirit, she knew, was connected to the red fox, and on certain mornings, like this one, the connection felt particularly strong, a tingling in her limbs, a pull in her gut. Her fox spirit felt restless, and so did she. Lilah’s room was a testament to her dual nature. Books on folklore and animal tracks sat next to picture books of fantastical beasts. Her bed was a nest of blankets and pillows, punctuated by carefully collected feathers and smooth stones. But the most telling decoration was the collection of painted fox masks hanging on one wall, each depicting a different expression, a different mood.Today, she picked the one with wide, curious eyes, the one she called “Explorer.” She slipped it on, the cool ceramic a comforting weight against her face. Her brown hair, often escaping her braids, seemed to bristle with energy. Today was a day for adventure. Her parents, bless their pragmatic hearts, had long ago accepted Lilah's unique relationship with the wild. They knew that trying to confine her restless spirit was like trying to hold water in your hands. They just made sure she had sturdy boots and a well-stocked satchel before she headed out. Today, the satchel contained a half-eaten apple, a small notebook and charcoal pencil, a dented metal cup, and a small, smooth river stone she'd found on her last trek. Lilah slipped out the back door, her boots crunching on the dew-kissed grass. The village was still quiet, the smoke from chimneys barely beginning to curl into the air. She didn't head towards the fields or the woods this time; her fox-sense led her in a different direction. She found herself following the winding path that snaked alongside the river, the same river that chuckled and gurgled secrets between its mossy banks.This particular stretch of the river was less traveled, wilder. Overhanging branches formed a green tunnel, creating a dim, mysterious light. Lilah loved this place. It felt like the world was holding its breath just for her. She followed the river for what felt like hours, her fox-sense guiding her over fallen logs and around muddy patches. She paused by a large, flat rock, the perfect spot for a rest. She pulled out her notebook and charcoal pencil, her gaze drifting over the scene before her. She began to sketch the way the sunlight dappled through the leaves, the delicate curve of a fern, the busy scuttling of an unseen creature in the undergrowth. As she sketched, she heard a soft whimper. Her head snapped up, her charcoal pencil forgotten in her hand. She listened intently, tilting her head as a fox would. The sound came again, weaker this time, and she realized it was close. Lilah carefully followed the sound, her boots silent against the soft earth. She peered behind a thick bush and gasped. There, huddled beneath a tangle of roots, was a small animal, its fur the color of dried leaves. It was a little fox cub, its leg bent at an unnatural angle. Its dark eyes, filled with pain, looked up at her. Lilah felt a pang in her chest. It was her connection to the red fox, she knew, amplified with a feeling of protective love. The cub whimpered again, and she knelt down, gently extending a hand. The cub recoiled at first, but then, drawn by her quiet calm, it nuzzled its head into her palm. It was warm, fragile, and trusting."You're hurt," Lilah whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's okay, I'll help you."She carefully examined the leg, her brow furrowed in concentration. It was definitely broken. She knew, instinctively, that she couldn't leave the cub here.She gently scooped the fragile creature into her arms, its weight surprisingly light. The cub snuggled into her, seeking warmth and comfort. She knew she had to get the cub home. It was closer than the village, and her parents knew how to set a bone.
The walk back felt longer, with the added weight of the injured cub. She kept talking to it, telling it stories, describing the world they were passing by, her voice soft and reassuring. The cub seemed to respond to her voice, its whimpers fading with each passing moment.When she finally reached her cottage, her mother was in the garden, tending to her herbs. She looked up in surprise as she saw Lilah cradling the injured fox cub.Her mother, a woman who understood the language of nature, didn't ask any questions. She simply opened the door, her expression calm and focused.Inside, Lilah’s mother gently laid the cub on a soft blanket. She examined the leg with practiced hands, confirming Lilah's suspicions. "It will need a splint," she said, her voice calm. "And rest."She then called for Lilah's father, a man with hands as strong as an oak tree but as gentle as a spring breeze. Together, they fashioned a splint from thin strips of wood and soft linen. With Lilah’s help, they secured it to the cub’s leg.For the next few days, Lilah dedicated all her time to the cub. She fed it small pieces of meat, offered him fresh water, and kept him company with stories and songs. She named him Rust, for the color of his fur amongst the fallen leaves.Rust seemed to thrive under her care. He started to eat more, his whimpers turned into soft purrs, and he began to trust her completely. Lilah would spend hours just watching him, observing his every movement, learning the nuances of his behavior. She felt her connection to him deepen, an understanding that transcended words.One afternoon, as Rust was nestled in her lap, she felt a familiar tingling in her limbs. This time, it wasn't a restless urge, but something stronger, something… other. She looked down at her hands and gasped. They didn't look quite the way they usually did she realised, her fingers a little more slender, her nails a little sharper. She looked at her feet, and she noticed a change there too, a slight lengthening in the bones. She felt the tingle rise up her arms and legs, and a strange warmth spread through her body that didn’t hurt, but felt… right.Lilah felt a strange urge and shifted her weight on her legs. Suddenly, she was up and was not walking, but on all fours. She looked at Rust in her lap, and she could feel her tongue curling up into her mouth as her face stretched and pulled. Her vision shifted too, and she saw the world through slightly narrowed eyes.She was no longer Lilah. For a moment, she was the fox.Rust nuzzled her, and she instinctively licked his head. It felt completely natural, this fox form. She felt the urge to jump and run, and she did so, circling the room at an almost unsettling speed. After her lap of the room, she stopped, and with a great burst of energy, it all receded. Her form returned, the warmth faded, and she dropped to the ground in a heap.It had felt amazing.She looked at Rust, and she could see the slight alarm, mixed with curiosity in his eyes. She knew, as a therian, that was the start. The change had begun.Weeks went by, and Lilah began to learn to control her shifts, or at least, to understand them. She realized the stronger her connection became to Rust, the quicker and easier the shift became. She also learned it was connected to her moods. When she was upset, or had strong feelings, the shift was more likely.She spent her days in the woods, exploring them in her fox form, using her heightened senses to experience the world in a completely new way. She learned the secrets of the forest: the hidden pathways used by badgers, the best spots to find berries, where the deer came to drink at sunset.She became more than just a human girl with a fox spirit. She was a bridge between the two worlds, living in harmony with nature and her own unique identity.As Rust’s leg healed, he became more restless. He would often watch the forest through the window, the longing in his eyes clear. Lilah knew it was time.One morning, she carried Rust back to the spot where she first found him. She set him down, her heart heavy but full. She watched as he hesitated for a moment, looked back at her, then darted into the undergrowth, his tail held high.She knew it wasn't goodbye, but a see-you-soon. She’d helped him, and he would always remember that.Lilah knew that day marked not the end of her adventure, but the beginning of a new chapter. Her connection to her fox spirit had grown stronger, her understanding of the wild deepened, and she had discovered the joy of helping another creature. She was not just an eight-year-old girl anymore, she was Lilah, the fox therian, and her adventures had just begun, each day offering new lessons, new mysteries, and new opportunities to explore the world, both human and wild, with a heart full of wonder and the spirit of a fox.She put on her “Explorer” mask, and she followed her fox-instinct into the woods once more, the first of many more adventures to come.