Biographical note

Emily Rodda is one of Australia's best-known children's authors Her first book, Something Special, was published in 1984. Since then, she has written or co-authored over 100 books for children, including the award-winning Rowan of Rin series and the outstandingly successful Deltora Quest series, which has been translated into 28 languages. She has also written mysteries for adults under her real name, Jennifer Rowe. For many years she combined writing with raising four children and continuing a busy career first with Angus & Robertson Publishers and then as editor of the Australian Women's Weekly. She finally committed herself to full-time writing in 1994. Her books have received many Children's Choice awards, and she has won the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year (Younger Readers) Award a record six times. In 2019 she was awarded the highest honour in the Australia Day Honours list, Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Lucinda Gifford is the author and illustrator of many well-loved books for kids. Many years ago, Lucinda studied architecture in Scotland, where she learned to draw fancy buildings and moody scenery. She also likes to draw dragons, cats and magical frogs - despite never having studied witchcraft. Now based in Melbourne, Lucinda works from a small home studio full of books, plants, dragons' blood and newts' tongues.