Gold Smarties Prize-winning creator of one of the best-loved characters in children's books today - Maisy the mouse.,Lucy Cousins is one of today's most acclaimed author-illustrators of children's books. Her unique titles fascinate babies, toddlers, and preschoolers with their child-like simplicity, bold outlines, and bright colors. The engaging adventures of characters such as Maisy reflect the familiar experiences that young children have every day. "Maisy does things that children all over the world do," Lucy Cousins says of her superstar mouse. "The way she dresses, the way she acts, are typical of children all over the world." With Maisy appearing in more than one hundred books as well as her own TV show in the US, Lucy Cousins continues to create new characters. Where does the prolific author-illustrator -- mother of four children -- find the energy? "I'm quite disciplined," she says of her productivity. "If I´m having an 'ideas' day, I just sit at my desk and draw and write until I feel something happening -- though I admit that this is usually helped by a cup of tea, some lively music, and an abundance of sunshine." As for outside inspiration, she says she's sometimes influenced by the work of other artists, especially if those artists are children. Says the author-illustrator, "I get more pleasure and inspiration from walking around a primary school than from any art gallery." Lucy Cousins lives in Hampshire, England.