Angela McAllister began her career as an illustrator, doing editorial work, poetry collections and cookery books such as Delia Smith's Christmas Cookery and The Food and Drink Cookbook for the BBC. She started to write for children in the early eighties, illustrating her own books. Since then she has written over 50 picture books and several junior fiction titles for children and worked with many illustrators
including Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Angela Barrett, Margaret Chamberlain, and recently Gary Blythe, Ross Collins, Jason Cockroft, Tiphanie Beek and Charles Fuge. Her work is translated into many languages.
Angela comes from a close extended family and has always worked with children in one way or another. Her books are inspired by the idea that we need to celebrate the genius in every child and she loves wrestling with the chemistry between words and images.
Angela and her husband have two children who are fantastic bookworms and a brilliant inspiration. They live in a 6th century cottage on the edge of the Dorset Downs.
In June 2006 her first novel, The Tide Turner, was published, soon to be followed by a fantastic sequel. For Templar, Angela has recently written the magical picture book, Leon and The Place Between, where she created a mysterious world with the highly-talented illustrator Grahame Baker-Smith. Her next title will be The Singing Ringing Tree, illustrated by Haydn Cornner.
Grahame Baker Smith (pictured) studied at Berkshire College of Art and Design. Deciding to pursue a career as a freelance illustrator meant that he had to teach himself the craft of illustration, working in a tiny Oxford bedsit and often buying his paints instead of the paraffin for his heater.
Grahame has now illustrated a number of adult titles (including an H.G. Wells trilogy), does regular illustration work for magazines and creates stunning children’s book illustrations. Constantly experimenting with different styles of illustration, Grahame likes to challenge conventional boundaries with his artwork.
Grahame illustrated the magical picture book Leon and the Place Between, written by Angela McAllister. Grahame has just finished his second picture book with Templar, Farther, which is due out this summer. Grahame is also busy writing and illustrating a groundbreaking new project – an epic adventure called Tales from
Terramaunia.
Grahame currently lives in Bath, with his wife Linda.
