Praise for The Witch's Children and the Queen: ... an exuberant fantasy... executed with wonderful humour and penmanship. -- The Sunday Times a rumbustious tale in the tradition of mischievous spirits causing mayhem' -- Michael Rosen

Russell was born in Chichester, Sussex and bought up in Oxfordshire. At school he loved both drawing and sciences and once thought about becoming a zoologist. He has worked in a medical laboratory and as as postman, but his favourite job is being an artist! The thing he loves best is the chance to be creative and use his imagination to make characters come to life. He has illustrated many picture books and been shortlisted for the Smarties Prize, the Mother Goose Award and the Blue Peter Book Awards. Ursula Jones is the author of The Witch's Children, and The Witch's Children and the Queen, winner of the 2003 Smarties Prize; both titles are illustrated by Russell Ayto. Ursula trained as an actress, and lives in France and London.