Mij Kelly had an extremely colourful and varied childhood house-hopping around the UK, not to mention skipping across to India as well. Mij has worked as a newspaper editor, an oral historian and now, a specialist journalist in artificial intelligence. Mij has two children. She won the Kathleen Fidler Award for her first book in 1993 and One More Sheep won the English Association 4-11 years Award for Best Illustrated Book in 2004.
Mary McQuillan has been shortlisted for the Sheffield Children's Book Award twice - the first time for her very first picture book 'Who's Poorly, Too' written by FCBG winner Kes Gray and the second for Cluck O'Clock, again with Kes.
This year she was shortlised for the Portsmouth Book Awards for Bare Bear with Miriam Moss. Mary is a highly successful illustrator with a knack for character and humour and her drawing are much beloved by children. She has also illustrates children's wallpaper and textile designs which have been reproduced and sold around the world.