Mike Byrne grew up on the Wirral near Liverpool before moving to Wales to study Illustration at Glyndwr University. He began his career as a designer for a greetings card company and then became a studio manager for a licensed stationery designer before leaving to fulfil his dream of illustrating children's books.

Mike now lives in Surrey with his wife, cat and two sons where he spends his days doodling and illustrating children's books fuelled only by tea and biscuits. Mike illustrated the Jack's Mega Machines series for Simon & Schuster. The Return of Sproutzilla is his fourth title with Macmillan