Welsh author Gwynedd Rae (1892-1977) was the creator of the much-loved Mary Plain series. The first book in the series, Mostly Mary,was published in 1930 and the last, Mary Plain’s Whodunnit, was published in 1965. The series includes 14 books about Mary’s adventures. They became hugely popular when they were read on BBC Radio Children's Hour during the 1930s.

Clara Vulliamy has illustrated over 35 children’s books and has been published by HarperCollins, Orchard Books, Random House, Walker Books and Kingfisher. She studied at Chelsea School of Art and The Royal Academy, beginning her working life as a portrait painter and illustrator for newspapers and magazines. She is the daughter of celebrated author and illustrator, Shirley Hughes, and together they created the Dixie O’Day series. She lives in Twickenham with her husband and their two grown-up daughters.