Jonathan Emmett's books have been translated into 30 languages and have won fifteen awards in Britain and the USA. He started work as an architect but left, “to become a stay-at-home dad and to try my luck as an author and paper-engineer.”

His first book, Doohickey and the Robot, was published in 1999, and now he is recognised as a leading interpreter of scientific ideas for young children.

He names Dr Seuss, Maurice Sendak and Roald Dahl as authors who made a great impression on him as a child. When he’s not writing or paper-engineering, he likes to make furniture.

Born in Belfast, Martin Waddell was an aspiring football player for many years, before turning his hand to writing. He is now widely regarded as one of the greatest living children's writers, and has over 220 published titles to his name.

He is perhaps best known for Owl Babies, illustrated by Patrick Benson and Farmer Duck, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury; as well as the 1989 Kurt Maschler Award-winning The Park in the Dark and the Little Bear series, both illustrated by Barbara Firth.

In 2004, Martin received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for his lasting contribution to children's literature, the highest career recognition available to a writer or illustrator of children's books. He lives in Newcastle, County Durham.