Michael Foreman has illustrated over 100 books by author such as William Shakespeare, JM Barrie, the Brothers Grimm, Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde, as well as writing and illustrating many of his own books. He has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice, and has twice been nominated for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award. His books include War Boy, War Game, Mia's Story, One World and Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish as well as many classic story collections with Michael Morpurgo.

Alexander McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, has loved A Child's Garden of Verses since his own childhood in Bulawayo. Now Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh University, he has written many bestsellers for both children and adults, including The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency and the Scotland Street series, admired all over the world for their "gentle wisdom and good cheer".

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) is one of the most famous popular authors of modern times - he is ranked the 25th most translated author in the world, ahead of Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the novelist, poet and travel writer was the author of world-famous books such as Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, as well as this classic and much-loved children's poetry collection A Child's Garden of Verses.