Holly Bathie grew up in Devon, where she spent all her time reading. Until the age of seven she wanted to be an acrobat, a lollipop lady, a lawyer or a comedienne. Then she decided on the best job: creating Usborne books. She lives and works in Oxford.

Elisa Paganelli was born in Modena (Italy), and since childhood cannot resist the smell of paper and pencils. She attended the Institute of Art and subsequently graduated from the European Institute of Design (IED) in Turin with a degree in illustration.

As a post-grad, Elisa worked as a graphic designer for a communication agency. However she realized that this wasn't the life for her, so she decided to set up her own art and design studio. (She also ran a successful design shop for 6 years, but this is another story.)

Elisa devotes most of her time to her passion for images and words. She thinks of herself as a kind of hermit, immersed in her quiet world of nature and books, accompanied by a cup of tea and her beloved pet-assistants. She now collaborates with publishers and advertising agencies all over the world, and also writes for a newspaper's lifestyle column.