Julia Jarman has won the Stockport Schools' Book Award twice for her brilliant picture book texts! After studying English and Drama at Manchester University, she became a teacher. Julia has been writing for over fifteen years and in that time has written ten novels and over seventy shorter books. Initially, she was encouraged to write by her three children who asked for 'real characters like us', with the girls asking for 'lots of scary bits.'

Recently, she has become a grandmother, inspiring her to write her fabulous picture book texts. She has also been influenced by her three cats! Julia keeps in touch with readers through her numerous visits to schools and libraries where she enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for facts and fiction.

Susan Varley is an award-winning artist who has illustrated many books for Andersen Press. Her picture book Badger's Parting Gifts is one of the most enduring of all time, winning many prizes, including the Mother Goose Award in 1985.