Authors and illustrators

Mark Sperring

Mark Sperring fell in love with books after reading

Gobbolino, the Witch’s Cat

as a child. For many years Mark worked in a storeroom unpacking boxes of books before finally writing some of his own. Mark currently lives in Bristol.

Marni McGee

Marni McGee has treasured books and words ever since childhood. In addition to her award-winning picture books, she has written poetry, easy readers, histories, and historical fiction. Her favourite things include reading, theatre, music, travel, beach walks, and, most of all, her children and grandchildren. She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband.

Maxine Lee

Maxine was born in Liverpool, Merseyside where she still lives with her partner and their two fantastic boys. After gaining an HND in Multimedia Arts and a BA Honours in Digital Arts in 2004, she went on to teach a range of creative subjects before taking a step back to concentrate on her freelance career as an author/illustrator. Unable to let go of college life, she also works part-time as a technician in a brilliant and busy art department in St. Helens. In her spare time, Maxine enjoys doing anything except keeping still.

Melissa Kang

Dr Melissa Kang is the expert behind the long-running Dolly Doctor column. She’s also a practising medical doctor with marginalised young people in western Sydney and an academic at the University of Technology Sydney.

Melissa Keil

Melissa was born in Melbourne, Australia and worked as an editor, high school teacher and a Middle Eastern tour guide before becoming an author. Her debut YA novel, Life in Outer Space, was the winner of the 2013 Ampersand Project. Her second YA novel, The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl won the IBBY Australia’s Ena Noel award and was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers. Melissa lives in Melbourne with her cheeky spoodle, Hugo.

Luke Newell

Luke graduated with a BA in Illustration from Kingston University, and has made a living telling stories through pictures ever since. Originally working in traditional animation for TV and advertising (Picasso Pictures, MTV) he moved through web animation into interactivity and games, working for ten years as in-house Illustrator and Concept Artist at Playstation’s London Studio. He is currently a full-time Illustrator.