Sam Taplin (Author) Sam Taplin grew up in a beautiful valley in Yorkshire, where he dreamed of being a writer, and after three years reading other people's books at university he started writing his own for Usborne. He's been doing it ever since. When he's not writing about lonely rabbits or inquisitive bears, he likes doing card tricks, writing songs and playing long games of chess by the fire. Alison Friend (Illustrator) Alison has loved painting and drawing for as long as she can remember. Animals were always a favourite subject, and as a child she copied them obsessively from wildlife books and encyclopaedias. Alison now lives in the beautiful Lake District. In her spare time she enjoys walking her dog in the fells, swimming in the lakes (when it's warm!) and falling asleep during really good films!