Vivian French

lives in Edinburgh, and writes in a messy workroom stuffed full of fairy tales and folk tales – the stories she loves best. She’s brilliant at retelling classic tales, as she did for The Most Wonderful Thing in the World, and has created worlds of her own in The Adventures of Alfie Onion and the Tales From the Five Kingdoms series. Vivian teaches at Edinburgh College of Art and can be seen at festivals all over the country. She is one of the most borrowed children’s authors in UK libraries, and in 2016 was awarded the MBE for services to literature, literacy, illustration and the arts.

Marta Kissi

is an exciting new talent in the world of children’s book illustration. Originally from Warsaw, she came to Britain to study Illustration and Animation at Kingston University, and then Art and Design at the Royal College of Art. Her favourite part of being an illustrator is bringing stories to life by designing charming characters and the wonderful worlds they live in. Marta shares a studio in London with her boyfriend and their pet plant Trevor.