Beautifully, carefully written... A glorious tale. Nicola Bayley has here brought off the triumph of a lifetime... A book to wallow in, read and re-read, for any age from five or so to the very grown-up. The Sunday Times Outstanding...deserving a permanent place in any collection of folk tales... perfect illustrations. The Sunday Telegraph

Antonia Barber has written books for both adults and children, including The Ring in the Rough Stuff, shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, as was The Ghosts, which was later filmed as The Amazing Mr. Blunden. For Walker, Antonia has also written the picture book Catkin, illustrated by P.J. Lynch and shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She has three adopted children and divides her time between Kent and a harbourside cottage in Mousehole, Cornwall. Nicola Bayley is one of this country's best-loved artists and is particularly well-known for her pictures of cats. She has illustrated many acclaimed picture books for children including All For the Newborn Baby, The Necessary Cat and Katje, The Windmill Cat. Nicola lives in London. Sian Phillips' has countless credits to her name in theatre and film, television and radio. Winner of two BAFTA awards for her performances in I Claudius and How Green Was My Valley, Sian has received many other awards for her work.