Mara Bergman is an award-winning children’s writer, poet and editor. She was born in NYC on leap year day and grew up on Long Island, and though she’s lived most of her life in the UK, she’s never lost her accent. Mara has always felt a strong link between poetry and picture books and loves to write both. Her picture books have won numerous awards in the UK and US; Oliver Who Would Not Sleep was a Bookstart choice and appeared on CBeebies, along with Itchy Itch Itch, illustrated by Emily Bolam. Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide won the Booktrust Early Years Award. Her books have been translated into many languages worldwide. Mara lives in Kent. Find Mara online on X as @mara_bergman and on Instagram as @bergmanmara.
Claire Alexander is an author and illustrator with a number of picture books to her name, including her author-illustrated book The Think-Ups, Puddling, written by Emma Perry, and Humperdink and The Snow Bear, both written by Sean Taylor. In 2007, Claire began teaching courses and masterclasses on how to create a picture book, which she continues to run at the House of Illustration. Find Claire online at clairealexander.co.uk, and on X as @PicBookCourse and on Instagram as @claire_alexander_picture_books.