Jeanne Willis is the author of many books for children, including "Tadpole's Promise, I Hate School, I Want to Be a Cowgirl", and the popular Professor Xargle series, all illustrated by Tony Ross. Ms. Willis lives with her husband and children in London, England. Susan Varley was born in Blackpool, England, in 1961, and studied illustration and graphic design at Manchester Polytechnic. She is the author-illustrator of "Badger's Parting Gifts, " for which she won the Mother Goose Award as "the most exciting newcomer to British children's book illustration.