Having always been short and a bit of a coward, Deborah Abela dreamed of being braver and stronger, which is probably why she writes books about spies, ghosts, soccer legends and characters good with swords who take on sea monsters and evil harbour lords.

She is the author of the Max Remy Superspy series, Jasper Zammit (Soccer Legend) series, Ghost Club series, The Remarkable Secret Of Aurelie Bonhoffen, Grimsdon and New City.

She's won awards for her books but mostly hopes, one day, to be as brave as the characters inside. Deborah is also a Room to Read ambassador. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

Marjorie Crosby-Fairall was born in America and currently lives in Sydney, Australia. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Northern Illinois University. In 1997 she won the CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books and has since been short-listed for other awards.

She currently works as a freelance illustrator for educational publishers, general editorial book publishers and magazines. Marjorie loves to experiment with new techniques for her illustrations, but always seems to return to her beloved and well-used colour pencils. The Croc and the Platypus was her first Walker Books Australia title.