David Almond is the author of Skellig, My Name is Mina, Counting Stars, The Savage, Island, A Song for Ella Grey, The Colour of the Sun and many other novels, stories, picture books, opera librettos, songs and plays.

His work is translated into 40 languages, and is widely adapted for stage and screen. His major awards include the Carnegie Medal, two Whitbread Awards, the Eleanor Farjeon Award, the Michael L Printz Award (USA), Le Prix Sorcieres (France) and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. In 2010 he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the world's most prestigious prize for children's authors.

David speaks at festivals and conferences around the world. He is Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. He is widely regarded as one of the most exciting, inspirational and innovative children's authors writing today. He has one amazing daughter. He lives in Bath and in Newcastle, the city in which he was born.

Salvatore Rubbino is a rising talent in the world of illustration. His first book for children, A Walk in New York, was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Awards, his second, A Walk in London, won an SLA Information Book Award, his third, Just Ducks! (written by Nicola Davies), was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, and his fourth, A Walk in Paris, won the IBW children's book award.

Salvatore teaches on the MA Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art and at Southampton Solent University. He lives in London, E15.