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Anna Walker, author and illustrator of the I Love Ollie series, lives in Melbourne, Victoria. She completed a degree in Graphic Design in 1994 before becoming a freelance illustrator. Anna's illustrations have enjoyed international success in a broad range of products that includes Friend for Keeps series where she collaborated with author, Emma Quay.

R e g a r d e d a s A u s t r a l i a s h i g h l y r e s p e c t e d p i c t u r e - b o o k a u t h o r , M e m F o x w a s a l s o a f o r m e r A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r o f L i t e r a c y S t u d i e s i n F l i n d e r s U n i v e r s i t y , S o u t h A u s t r a l i a . F o r m o r e t h a n 3 0 y e a r s s i n c e t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f h e r v e r y f i r s t b o o k , P o s s u m M a g i c , i t i s s t i l l a v a i l a b l e i n h a r d - b a c k t o d a y .

Leo and Diane Dillon were a husband and wife team of authors skilled in creating a seamless combination of each of their skills and styles. Nominated for numerous awards, it is no wonder that their tag team style of writing has been highly
popular among many generations.

D a m i e n J o n e s i l l u s t r a t e s c h i l d r e n s b o o k s a n d h e a l s o a n i m a t e s f i l m s a n d t e l e v i s i o n p r o g r a m s . D a m i e n l i v e s w i t h h i s w i f e a n d s o n i n C o r n w a l l t h e h o m e o f t h e l e g e n d o f K i n g A r t h u r . C o r n w a l l h a s i t s v e r y o w n c a s t l e !

V a l e n t i n a M e n d i c i n o e a r n i n g h e r B A i n I l l u s t r a t i o n a n d A n i m a t i o n a t t h e E u r o p e a n I n s t i t u t e o f D e s i g n i n M i l a n , I t a l y , h e r p a s s i o n t o o k V a l e n t i n a t o t h e U K , w h e r e s h e c o m p l e t e d a n M A i n c h i l d r e n s b o o k s i l l u s t r a t i o n a t t h e C a m b r i d g e S c h o o l o f A r t , g r a d u a t i n g i n 2 0 1 3 .

S h o n a I n n e s h a s b e e n a c l i n i c a l a n d f o r e n s i c p s y c h o l o g i s t f o r o v e r 2 5 y e a r s n o w . S h e s p e c i a l i z e s i n w o r k i n g w i t h c h i l d r e n w h i c h e x p l a i n s h e r s p e c i a l i n s i g h t w i t h c h i l d r e n s l i t e r a t u r e . A l l t h e b o o k s s h e h a s b e e n i n v o l v e d w i t h h e l p t e a c h c h i l d r e n h o w t o c a r e f o r t h e m s e l v e s a n d o t h e r s .

James Phelan was born in Melbourne, Australia. His creative spirit was nurtured from a young age, and he credits his overactive imagination to being exposed to authors such as Roald Dahl and Paul Jennings. As a teenager, James discovered a love of geo-political thrillers, of being entertained and informed on topical global events. In 1995, aged fifteen, James started his first novel, which he went on to develop as part of his major VCE English assignment in 1996.

J o e B a u e r i s a y o u n g f i l m m a k e r a n d i l l u s t r a t o r . H e i s t h e c r e a t o r o f t h e o r i g i n a l c o v e r s f o r h i s f a t h e r M i c h a e l s f i r s t t w o I s h m a e l b o o k s a n d i l l u s t r a t e s t h e E r i c V a l e S e r i e s a s w e l l a s t h e s p i n - o f f s e r i e s f e a t u r e t h e a d v e n t u r e s o f S e c r e t A g e n t D e r e k D a n g e r D a l e r e l e a s e d i n 2 0 1 4 .

Gemma O'Neill is an illustration graduate from University College Falmouth. After she met the Templar team at the Bologna Book Fair, who were instantly struck by her fresh style, Gemma's first picture book was signed up before graduation. Gemma lives in Portrush, County Antrim.

Brian Selznick is the Caldecott award-winning author and illustrator of The New York Times bestsellers, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck. He is also the illustrator of many celebrated picture books and novels, among them Caldecott Honor Winner The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, and Sibert Honor Winner When Marian Sang by Pam Muoz Ryan. Brian has previously worked as a set designer and a puppeteer. He lives in San Diego, CA, and Brooklyn, NY.