Kaye Umansky was born in Plymouth in Devon, England. She went to Teacher's Training College, after which she taught in London primary schools for twelve years, specializing in music and drama.

In her spare time, she sang and played keyboards with a semiprofessional soul band. She now writes full time and has written more than twenty-five books of fantasy, fiction, and poetry for children. She draws on traditional folktales and modern urban myths for her inspiration and has a sense of humor that is popular with children of all ages, from five to one hundred and five.

She lives in London with her family. Among her most popular books are her hilarious Pongwiffy titles. Pongwiffy, Pongwiffy and the Goblins' Revenge, and Pongwiffy and the Spell of the Year, which won the Nottinghamshire Book Award, are available from Minstrel Books.

Alice McKinley has worked in publishing for most of her career, working with brilliant companies such as Andersen Press, Little Tiger Press and Nobrow. She decided to chase her dreams and become an Author/Illustrator and completed the Children's Picture Book Illustration MA at the Cambridge School of Arts in 2018.

Her first author-illustrated book Nine Lives Newton published with Simon & Schuster UK this year and she is currently enjoying working on fiction and picture books in sunny Brighton. Here she lives with her boyfriend, myriads of books, and oh so many (many) plants! Other clients include Hachette Children's Books, Barrington Stoke and Affirm Press.