Ann Turnbull knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer. After working as a secretary for many years, Ann returned to studying and started to train as a teacher.

It was then that she rediscovered children's literature and began writing for children herself.

Her first novel was published in 1974 and she is has now written more than thirty books for children and young adults, with shortlistings for the Guardian Children's Book Prize and the Whitbread Children's Book Award.