Hayley Barrett believes ants are beautiful, admirable creatures and she's just crazy about bees. She often transports roving insects back outside, and she thinks you should, too. Hayley lives near Boston, USA, with a fluffy Havanese named Quill. Her two terrific children have grown and flown, but they come home often for tea and cookies. You can learn more about Hayley and her books, including Babymoon, What Miss Mitchell Saw, and Girl Versus Squirrel, at HayleyBarrett.com.

A graduate in illustration from the London College of Printing, Alison Jay has been illustrating children's books for ten years. To create her unique style, she uses alkyd oil paint on paper with a crackling varnish, which gives her illustrations an antique, nostalgic quality. Alison lives and works in London, England.