Story Museum Oxford

Dylan, Tunde, Ola, or Will? What do you think this axolotl should be called?

What name would you give this little guy?

The Story Museum Oxford is asking people for suggestions of names for this cute creature.

It is an axolotl, a type of salamander with frilly gills, and is part of an exhibition inspired by a collection of work made during the coronavirus lockdowns.

The gallery has an indoor garden with stories, poems and pictures from The Book of Hopes - all put together by children's authors and illustrators to cheer kids up during the pandemic.

Adrian Cassidy

This is the Tree of Hope in the exhibition

Author Katherine Rundell, who wrote Rooftoppers, contacted as many children's authors as she could to join in.

She has now decided to use some of the work in the book for this exhibition at the museum.

Axel Sheffler

Axel Scheffler, the illustrator behind the Gruffalo, did this drawing for the book

A poem by Catherine Johnson about an axolotl features in the book and is the reason the amphibian is part of the display.

She also wrote this poem to encourage kids to send their name suggestion into the museum.

Try and name our axolotl,

Go on, give it your best shotl!

Dylan, Tunde, Ola, Will,

What's the name to fit the bill?

Mexican like Juan or Frida?

Or, perhaps, you're going to need a

Better name that hits the spotl

For our frilly axolotl

The name suggestions will be looked at then a winning name will be picked.