Robin Klein was born 28 February 1936 in Kempsey, New South Wales into a family of nine children. Leaving school at age 15, Klein worked several jobs before becoming established as a writer, having her first story published at age 16.

She would go on to write more than 40 books, including Hating Alison Ashley (adapted into a feature film starring Delta Goodrem in 2005), Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left (adapted into a television series for the Seven Network in 1992), and Came Back to Show You I Could Fly (adapted into a film directed by Richard Lowenstein in 1993).

Klein's books are hugely celebrated, having won the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award in both the Younger Readers and the Older Readers categories, as well as a Human Rights Award for Literature in 1989 for Came Back to Show You I Could Fly. Klein is widely considered one of Australia's most prolific and beloved YA authors.

Over 35 years, Ann James has collaborated with many authors, illustrating picture books that almost always feature animals! In fact, her own pets are characters in The Midnight Gang; Dog In, Cat Out; The Way I Love You and Chester and Gil.

Ann's playful approach to illustrating is evident in her choice of media and techniques. Some of her memorable picture-book characters are in Lucy Goosey; I'm a Dirty Dinosaur; I'm a Hungry Dinosaur; Bird and Bear and Bird and Bear and the Special Day.

She looks forward to readers getting to know Samantha and Sebastian in A Very Quacky Christmas! Ann lives in Melbourne, where she and her partner run Books Illustrated, a gallery specialising in promoting picture books and their creators.