HarperCollins Children’s Books Presents: Stories for Summer Holidays for age 5+

Michael Bond was born in Newbury, Berkshire on 13 January 1926 and educated at Presentation College, Reading. He served in the Royal Air Force and the British Army before working as a cameraman for BBC TV for 19 years. In 2015, Michael was awarded a CBE for his services to children’s literature, to add to the OBE he received in 1997. Michael died in 2017, leaving behind one of the great literary legacies of our time.

Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE FRSL FKC DL is a writer, playwright, performer and librettist. The author of more than 150 children’s books, he has sold over 35 million copies worldwide and in almost 40 languages. A former teacher and vocal spokesperson for the benefits of reading for pleasure, he is currently the President of Book Trust. Between 2003–2005 he was Children’s Laureate and in 2018 he was knighted for services to literature and charity. Many of Michael’s books have been adapted for stage and screen, including the phenomenal National Theatre adaptation of War Horse, which has been seen by over 10 million people in over 100 cities around the world, broke the West End record for weekly ticket sales, and won 5 Tony Awards and 2 Olivier Awards. Michael is also the co-founder, with his wife Clare, of the charity Farms for City Children.

Jenny Valentine is an award-winning writer for Young Adults. Her first novel Finding Violet Park won the Guardian prize in 2007 and since then she has written six more, including Broken Soup and Fire Colour One, as well as Iggy and Me, a series for younger children. Her work has been published in 19 countries and Hello Now, her latest YA novel, was published in the UK and US in April 2020. She lives all over the place and has two daughters.

Ian Whybrow’s many popular successes range from picture books to novels for older children. Best known for his original humour, he always writes with adult readers as well as young ones in mind. He has a brilliant ear for voices, and takes pride in the fact that his work reads aloud very well. ‘I loved being read to as a child,’ he says. ‘And I loved the sense that my parents were enjoying it too. For me, that’s the acid test for any book – that there’s something in it for everyone to enjoy.

Oliver Jeffers is a highly acclaimed talent in picture books. He graduated from The University of Ulster in 2001 with First Class honours and has since exhibited his paintings around the world. His outstanding talent has already been recognised by several high-profile awards, including the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Gold Award, the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award and the Irish Children's Book of the Year.

Jonathan Langley was born in Lancaster in 1952. He studied graphic design and illustration at Liverpool College of Art and the Central School of Art and Design. He also studied bookbinding at Camberwell School of Art. In 1974 he became a freelance illustrator, working in publishing, editorial, advertising and design. Jonathan has illustrated numerous books for children. He lives in the English Lake District with his wife and three children.

Jill Barklem was drawn to the natural world from childhood. While training as an illustrator at St Martin’s School of Art, her long journeys to college gave her time to escape into the imaginary world of a colony of mice, later to be developed as the enchanting miniature world of Brambly Hedge.