Biographical note

Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of the UK’s best-loved authors for children and young people. He was the third UK Children’s Laureate and he has won the Children’s Book Award, the Nestle Children’s Book Prize and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. There have been many stage and screen adaptations of his books, including a major film and award-winning stage play based on War Horse. Michael also set up the charity Farms for City Children with his wife Clare. Catherine Rayner lives in Edinburgh with her husband and son, Shannon the horse, Ena the grey cat and a goldfish called Richard. Her first book, Augustus and His Smile, was inspired by creatures of a wilder kind – the tigers at Edinburgh Zoo. Catherine’s second book, Harris Finds His Feet, won the Kate Greenaway Medal and she has been shortlisted a further four times for this prestigious prize.