Eileen Browne is a bestselling author and illustrator, well known for her picture book classic, Handa’s Surprise, and its sequel, Handa’s Hen, both of which have been adapted into national puppet theatre productions and which have, together, sold over one million copies in more than twenty countries worldwide.

In 2014, Handa’s Surprise was named one of the "Diverse Voices 50 best culturally diverse children’s books" of all time, in a list compiled by a distinguished independent panel of children’s book experts. Originally from Birmingham, Eileen now lives in Wiltshire.