Monster Max's Shark Spaghetti Award-winning team by Claire Freedman (author) and Sue Hendra (illustrator)

Claire Freedman is the successful author of over 50 picture books, including the Aliens in Underpants books, George’s Dragon and Tappity Tap! What Was That? She is best known for Aliens Love Underpants, which has gone on to become a huge best seller and was the winner of the Richard and Judy Children’s Book Club in 2007.

Claire left school at sixteen and was the worst secretary ever, a trainee buyer at Harrods and a dental nurse before becoming a full-time writer. Claire says “For me, writing is the best job ever. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. I love to create worlds for young children to enjoy and escape into.” She lives on the Essex coast with her husband and loves walking along the sea path, eating in her favourite beach-side café and catching up with friends.

Sue Hendra is the wonderfully funny, award-winning author and illustrator of some of our favourite picture books, like Barry the Fish with Fingers and Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell.

Sue has always loved drawing and art was definitely the highlight of her school timetable. As she got older the prospect of going away to study art at university and LEAVE HOME was very enticing. She decided she wanted to go to Brighton and that’s where she did, in fact, end up doing her degree. Sue had a great time and got a job with Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury immediately after she left.

Sue was hugely fortunate enough to hone her skills as an illustrator whilst she worked for the likes of Bloomsbury, Walker Books, Oxford University Press, Macmillan etc, illustrating and writing picture books. She has now been working as an illustrator and author for fifteen years and still loves it.