Julia Donaldson served as the UK Children's Laureate from 2011 to 2013 and has written many bestselling and beloved picture books and novels for young readers. She lives in Glasgow, Scotland, with her husband, Malcolm. Axel Scheffler's award-winning books include Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, and The Gruffalo. His illustrations have been published in more than thirty countries. He lives in London, England.