Caryl is a full-time children's writer, who also runs creative workshops with local schools.

Her first picture book, Don't Dip Your Chips in Your Drink, Kate! won two regional awards, and was shortlisted for a third. Her Princess series, illustrated by Sarah Warburton, has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide.

She lives in the Peak District with her guitar-playing husband, two cheeky daughters, one extremely fluffy black cat, a goldfish, four hens and a dog called Roo.

As well as writing, Caryl loves walking in the hills, swimming, snuggling, baking, weeding, running, sleeping, chatting, and sitting in cafes.

After briefly considering careers in space travel, cookery and being a rabbit, Alex T. Smith finally decided to become an illustrator.

Soon after he graduated from art school he won second place in the Macmillan Prize for Children's Illustration and has gone on to have a stellar career, creating such favourite picture book characters as Claude from Claude in the City, Claude on Holiday and Claude Going for Gold.