Kamila Shamsie is the author of six novels: In the City by the Sea; Kartography (both shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize); Salt and Saffron; Broken Verses; Burnt Shadows (shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction) and, most recently, A God in Every Stone, which was shortlisted for the Baileys Prize, the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature.

Three of her novels have received awards from Pakistan's Academy of Letters. Kamila Shamsie is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 2013 was named a Granta Best of Young British Novelist. She grew up in Karachi and now lives in London.

Laura Barrett is a London artist specialising in intricate and decorative silhouette illustrations as well as traditional papercut artwork.

She has worked for clients as varied as the BBC, John Lewis, Ted Baker, Taschen, and Toni and Guy. The Snow Queen was her first title for Orchard Books, followed by The Little Mermaid and The Story of the Nativity.