KEEN illustrators take note: the Premier's Reading Challenge wants you.

Author Nette Hilton has written a new book in her Billy Bilby series but the illustrations will come from challenge participants.

Louise Drea, in year 6 at Mount Colah Public School, has submitted a pencil drawing.

"Well, Mum printed the thing off for me and showed it to me and I decided to do it," she said.

The challenge website features the text from each page of the story and suggestions for the accompanying image for entrants to draw or paint.

"It had a picture of what Billy Bilby was meant to look like on the sheet," Louise said.

"He's got really big feet, a long tail, big ears."

The deadline for entries has been extended to May 1 and all challenge participants from kindergarten to year 9 can enter.

"If they're not too keen on drawing and also like writing there's also this writing competition there," Louise said.

* The Premier's Reading Challenge is an initiative of the NSW Government with principal support from the Dymocks Literacy Foundation, OPSM and The Sun-Herald. See www.schools.nsw.edu.au/premiersre adingchallenge.