Emma Chichester Clark studied art at the Royal College of Art. She has worked as a freelancer for magazines, publishers and advertising agencies as well as teaching art for several years, but now dedicates most of her time to children’s books. She was nominated for the Kurt Maschler Award for Illustration twice and ‘I Love You, Blue Kangaroo!’, was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Holly Smale is the author of Geek Girl, Model Misfit, Picture Perfect and All That Glitters. She was unexpectedly spotted by a top London modelling agency at the age of fifteen and spent the following two years falling over on catwalks, going bright red and breaking things she couldn’t afford to replace. By the time Holly had graduated from Bristol University with a BA in English Literature and an MA in Shakespeare she had given up modelling and set herself on the path to becoming a writer.
Jeanne Willis wrote her first book aged five and has now written over 300 titles. She has won numerous awards, including the Children’s Book Award, the Silver Smarties Prize and has been shortlisted for the Whitbread Award. As well as her extensive writing experience Jeanne once worked as a reptile vet’s assistant, has owned just about every pet you can think of, breeds exotic beetles and fosters hedgehogs. She has never performed in an animal talent show but she did get married at London Zoo.
Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE FRSL FKC DL is a writer, playwright, performer and librettist. The author of more than 150 children’s books, he has sold over 35 million copies worldwide and in almost 40 languages. A former teacher and vocal spokesperson for the benefits of reading for pleasure, he is currently the President of Book Trust. Between 2003–2005 he was Children’s Laureate and in 2018 he was knighted for services to literature and charity. Many of Michael’s books have been adapted for stage and screen, including the phenomenal National Theatre adaptation of War Horse, which has been seen by over 10 million people in over 100 cities around the world, broke the West End record for weekly ticket sales, and won 5 Tony Awards and 2 Olivier Awards. Michael is also the co-founder, with his wife Clare, of the charity Farms for City Children.
Michael Bond was born in Newbury, Berkshire on 13 January 1926 and educated at Presentation College, Reading. He served in the Royal Air Force and the British Army before working as a cameraman for BBC TV for 19 years. In 2015, Michael was awarded a CBE for his services to children’s literature, to add to the OBE he received in 1997. Michael died in 2017, leaving behind one of the great literary legacies of our time.
Andy Cutbill was born near London in 1972. He read Art at university and then did post-graduate studies in Art Direction. After several years creating television commercials, he started writing children’s animation and picture books. In conjuction with Cosgrove Hall Films, Andy created and developed the award-winning animated television series, Albie, for CITV. Andy lives on Dartmoor in Devon with his wife, son and daughter.
Jean Ure was born in Surrey and, when growing up, knew that she was going to be a writer or a ballet dancer. She began writing when she was six years old and had her first book published while she was still at school. Jean is a vegan and animal lover. She lives with her husband, seven dogs and four cats in a 300 year old house in Croydon.
Noel Streatfeild, the plain middle child between two talented and pretty sisters, trained at RADA and acted for nine years before writing Ballet Shoes, an instant bestseller, in 1936. As vicarage daughter, factory girl, actress, model, social worker, writer, and crusader for good books, Noel touched many aspects of life. Her experiences enriched her stories, which were so popular that, by her eightieth birthday, she had earned herself the title of ‘a national monument’. She died in 1986.
Clara Vulliamy was born in London and studied at Chelsea School of Art, The Ruskin and the Royal Academy. She is the daughter of the celebrated author-illustrator Shirley Hughes and began illustrating picture books when she had her own children. She has since written and illustrated many stories, sometimes collaborating with her mother. She lives in Twickenham, with her husband and their daughters, Leah and Martha.
Darren Shan is the number-one best-selling author of the series THE SAGA OF DARREN SHAN, the DEMONATA and more recently the SAGA OF LARTEN CREPSLEY and ZOM-B. His books have been read by millions of people around the world and translated into more than 25 languages. Darren lives in seclusion in the depths of Ireland. He is a big film buff, and also loves theatre, comics and books, and collecting art. He loves dreaming up new ways to terrify his readers, but never drinks blood. Or so he claims.
David Baddiel was born in 1964 in Troy, New York, but grew up and lives in London. He is a comedian, television writer, columnist and author of four novels, of which the most recent is The Death of Eli Gold.
Darcey Bussell joined the Royal Ballet School when she was 13 and, despite starting later than most of the other students, became a Principal of the Royal Ballet at just 19, at the time the youngest ballerina ever to be given this honour. Darcey received both the OBE and CBE awards during her time with the Royal Ballet, and since officially retiring in 2007 she has teamed up with Katherine Jenkins in the phenomenally successful Viva la Diva. She is married with two daughters.
