Our authors and illustrators

Becca Davies – Author

Becca Davies has degrees in both English Literature and Publishing, and is passionate about fostering a love of reading in young people. After being thwarted in her early ambitions to live on the moon or possibly capture a dinosaur, she has worked as a journalist, editor and children’s author. She currently lives in Leicestershire.

Bee Willey – Illustrator

Bee has illustrated over 20 children's books and has been short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She has taken part in many children's events and workshops in the Suffolk area.

Claire Pyatt – Author

Claire lives in Kent with her husband, two children and three dogs. She was inspired to write the Confessions of a Fairytale Villain series after reading fairytales to her daughter and wondering what happens after the happy endings.

David Hitch – Illustrator

David Hitch studied illustration at Central St Martins in London where he still lives with his partner. He has been illustrating for over 15 years and has worked for all sorts of clients, but he especially enjoys telling children stories through pictures.

Emma McCann – Illustrator

Illustrator and author Emma McCann grew up in Surrey surrounded by a menagerie of animals, including three rather vicious sisters! She studied illustration at Kingston University, where a publisher then nabbed her at her degree show. She published her first picture book in 2004, and her second was long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Emma likes watercolour inks, collecting picture books, and new paintbrushes. Luckily, she gets to use all three of her favourite things in her work.

Ivan Regalado Segarra – Illustrator

Ivan Regalado Segarra is an illustrator who has loved drawing since he was small. He lives near Barcelona in a small house with a big patio. Ivan shares his home with his wife, Mercè, and a grey parrot who doesn't leave him alone while he's trying to work!

Jill Atkins – Author

Jill used to be a teacher, but she escaped and began writing children’s books. She has had over 40 published so far. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, but she's still very much a child at heart!

Liz and Kate Pope – Illustrators

After both gaining first class honours degrees in Design, twins Liz and Kate now work together. Liz’s quirky line drawings are combined with Kate’s playfulness with colour and pattern to introduce their own unique sparkle into the illustrations and bring them to life!

Matt Thomas – Author

Matt graduated from Bournemouth University in 2005 with a degree in Scriptwriting for Film and TV. He initially put these skills to use as an in-house writer for an advertising agency, before going freelance in 2007. He now works as a journalist and children's author somewhere in darkest Surrey. He has two cats; he prefers one to the other, but tries not to let it show.

Moira Butterfield – Author

Moira Butterfield has been an internationally published children's author for two decades. Her work ranges from chapter-books to short stories, picture books and lively non-fiction. Her work has been selected for national use in UK schools, and she has received a commendation from the US Library of Congress for her work encouraging reluctant readers. She lives in Bath, UK, with her family.

Richard Fowler – Author

Encouraged by his father from a young age, Richard Fowler has been painting and drawing all his life. In 1958, he won a scholarship to Farnham School of Art, where he majored in illustration, printmaking and graphic design. He has developed well over 100 novelty and pop-up books for children, among them, 'Ted and Dolly's Magic Fairytale Flight’ which won a Critci in Erba prize in 1985. Richard has been working with Tony Potter Publishing since 2004, where he continues to write and illustrate novelty children’s books.