As a book illustrator you soon learn that covers are a troublesome, restrictive, and puzzling beast. Trying to present the essence of a book into one image is very difficult, you have so much to say, but so little room to say it. When you're designing a cover for a classic, the endeavour is even more challenging. Many illustrators before you will have taken up the task, and created their own inimitable cover art. You can't be influenced by what's been done before, and you have to devise a fresh vision for the story, in your own style.

All of these thoughts were on my mind as I stood looking at a sea of beautiful cover designs, at the Pimlico offices of Random House. Our judging panel consisted of (the charming and brilliant) Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Chloe Lambert, Editor at the Young Times, Stephen Parker, Deputy Art Director at Random House and Laura Hassan, Editorial Director of Vintage Classics. Our task was to find a new cover created by 7-12 year olds, for The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

I hadn't considered how difficult it would be to judge children's drawings, it seemed terrible to turn away so many beautifully drawn and lovingly painted covers. Our judging was a very English affair, we all tiptoed around the decisions, commented on how difficult this was going to be, and how charming all the designs were. However as we started to talk about what was or wasn't working, and why, the process began to speed up.

As the pile decreased, we all picked our favourites. I had fallen in love with our winning cover straight away. It had all the elements we were looking for; colour, content, character, charm and composition. For me personally, it had three design features that I love in illustrative work. It had a simple clear design, good quality of line, and a lovely limited colour palette. Quite astounding for someone so young, it took me twenty years to develop all these elements in my own work! Thankfully we all agreed on who the winners should be, and it was an exciting moment when the decisions had been made.

Kate Cleminson is winner of the Best Emerging Illustrator at the Booktrust Early Years Awards 2009. This edition of the Secret Garden will be published by Vintage Classics on 4 November 2010. The winning illustration was by Emma Brink-Morrison, shown holding her finished design.