Abie Longstaff is the eldest of six children and grew up in Australia, Hong Kong and France. She knows all about squabbling and bossing younger sisters around so she began her career as a barrister.

She started writing when her children were born. Her books include The Fairytale Hairdresser series and The Magic Potions Shop books. She has a life-long love of fairy tales and mythology and her work is greatly influenced by these themes.

Abie got the idea for the Trapdoor Mysteries from her parents' house in France. The house is big and old, with lots of rooms and outbuildings. In one of the bedrooms, there is a secret entrance hidden in a fireplace. It leads to a room that was used by the French Resistance during the war. It was the perfect idea for a book!

Abie lives with her family by the seaside in Hove.

After graduating from her sell-out show at Central Saint Martins in 1995, Nila Aye became a firm favourite of the London illustration scene. Nila is influenced by mid-century design and children's books from this era.

She describes her work as "Retro modern with a cute twist, and a touch of humour." Nila's style is loved by adults and children alike and is popular with fans around the world.