Lucy Courtenay was born in Northern Ireland, went to school in Dorset and studied history at Bristol. Her chequered career included stints as a tea lady, a press officer, a singer, a porcelain dealer, a TEFL teacher and an editor, before she finally saw sense and started writing children,s books.

Despite driving a proper car these days, she misses the vintage custard-yellow camper van that used to own her. In her family, she has trouble deciding who is more handsome: her husband or her two sons. She has a cat called Crumble.

Sheena Dempsey is a children's author and illustrator. She loves to draw animals, from dirty rats to mean cats and heroic pigeons.

She has worked with various publishers in Ireland and the UK including Walker, Templar, Hachette, Little Island and Faber. She lives in London with her partner, Mick, and their greyhound Sandy.