Julia Donaldson is the author of some of the world's best-loved children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, which together have sold over 27.5 million copies worldwide, and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard adventures. Julia also writes fiction, including the Princess Mirror-Belle books illustrated by Lydia Monks, as well as poems, plays and songs - and her brilliant live shows are always in demand. Julia and her husband Malcolm divide their time between West Sussex and Edinburgh.

Axel Scheffler is the illustrator of some of the world's best-loved picture books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child and gift books for Macmillan, such as the bestselling The Bedtime Bear, The Tickle Book and Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes. He is also the illustrator of the popular Pip and Posy series, and other books with Julia Donaldson including The Ugly Five.