Biographical note

Tony Bradman wrote the first Dilly the Dinosaur story 25 years ago, and since then has produced over 200 books for children of all ages, including poetry, picture books, fiction and non-fiction. He has reviewed children's books in the national press and on radio, and is the lead author of Project X, a major new reading scheme that has been a huge success in schools, and has edited over 40 anthologies of poetry and fiction. He also runs the Siobhan Dowd Trust, a charity active in the promotion of reading and literacy, and is active in writers' organisations. Tony has three children and three grandchildren, and lives in Beckenham. Susan Hellard's illustrious career as an illustrator has spanned: Grumpy Old Women, funny cookbooks for children and babies, poetry by Pam Ayres, pottery design and recently, a regular illustrated column for the Sunday Express. Plus many children's books, of course, such as the Dilly Banana books for Egmont, her picture book, Princesses Are Not Quitters, the Madame Pamplemousse series, and I was Jane Austen's Best Friend. She lives in North London where she is a keen swimmer in the ladies pond at Highgate.