Valerie Thomas is the author of the bestselling and much loved Winnie the Witch picture books, illustrated by Korky Paul. Valerie was born in Australia and has lived there for most of her life. She is a teacher, and has taught in primary, secondary, and special schools in Australia and England as well as lecturing in English Teaching Method in a Teachers’ College in Melbourne.

“Sometimes having no script, having no idea what is going to happen next, having no map, might be the way to go. Because life just happens, and when it does, how you handle it will teach you more about who you are than any class or test ever can. The best preparation for the rest of your life is, maybe, no preparation at all. Dive right in. Make mistakes. Break a few rules.”

Megan  McDonald (born February 28, 1959) is an American children's literature author. Her most popular works is the series of books which concern a third grade girl named Judy Moody. McDonald has also written many picture books for younger children and continues to write.

“I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be. In the middle.”

Francesca Simon is an American author who resides in North London. She is most famous for writing the Horrid Henry series of children's books. She is the daughter of screenwriter, director and playwright Mayo Simon.

“Horrid Henry hated vacations. Henry’s idea of a super vacation was sitting on the sofa eating chips and watching TV.”

David Murray "Dav" Pilkey Jr. is an American cartoonist, author and illustrator of children's literature. Pilkey is best known as the author and illustrator of the children's book series Captain Underpants and the children's graphic novel series Dog Man.

“George and Harold were usually responsible kids. Whenever anything bad happened, George and Harold were usually responsible.”

Elisabetta Dami is an Italian children’s books author who is most famous as the creator of the character Geronimo Stilton.

"For a while I worked as a volunteer in a hospital, and it was there, almost by chance, that I invented Geronimo Stilton … It was at the time when Patch Adams taught the world that children need to laugh to get better. So I started to make up funny stories in which the protagonist was a clumsy mouse called Geronimo Stilton. He would get involved in all sorts of entertaining adventures, full of funny events and twists in the plot, that children found really compelling".

Aaron Blabey (born 1 January 1974) is an Australian author of children's books and artist, who until the mid-2000s was also an actor. He is the creator of the best-selling children's series  The Bad Guys – a New York Times #1 bestselling graphic novel series for junior readers about a gang of scary-looking animals trying to change their bad reputations.

"I’ve been an actor, a painter, a grape-picker, a designer, an advertising copywriter, a video shop dude, a comic-strip creator, a college lecturer, a screenwriter and a picture-book-maker. I haven’t enjoyed all of it, but I don’t regret any of it. I’m proud of having lots of weird chapters in my scruffy old book".

Harriet Muncaster is the author and illustrator of the Isadora Moon stories, a young reader series about the magical adventures of a little vampire fairy. Harriet also wrote and illustrated some other books.

"I find I always create much better work if I give myself space and time to create something I am really passionate about, without worrying about who will look at it. I like to get the whole thing pretty much formed. Either write the whole book, or draw out the whole dummy book. THEN I take it to a publisher/show my agent. I find I am always so much more satisfied with my work when I do it this way rather than just taking what I feel is a ‘good idea’ to a publisher and working with them to create something".

Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American children's author, political cartoonist, illustrator, poet, animator, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Doctor Seuss.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened".

Andy Shepherd is a children's author. Her debut "The Boy Who Grew Dragons" has been long-listed for the Blue Peter Book Award 2019.

"Quietly sociable, annoyingly organised, frustrated daredevil, big on love. Oh, and possibly part fish, as I love being in, near, or on water".

Philip Ardagh is an English children's author, primarily known for the Eddie Dickens series of books. He has written more than 100 books including adult fiction and children's non-fiction.

“Clean shoes are no indication of clean feet, especially if worn on the head.”

look for their books at : www.espabooks.com