SF Said (he/him) is an award-winning, bestselling British children’s author. He was born in Lebanon, but has lived in London since he was two. His first book, Varjak Paw, won the Nestlé Smarties Prize for Children’s Literature and was listed by BookTrust as one of the 100 best children’s books of the past 100 years. The Outlaw Varjak Paw won the BBC Blue Peter Book of the Year Award, while Phoenix was chosen to represent the UK on the IBBY Honour List. His new book, Tyger, won Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, Children’s Book of the Year at the Week Junior Book Awards, and the Foyles Children’s Book of the Year. All four books are illustrated by Dave McKean. SF Said has also written about children’s literature for both the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph newspapers, given talks at the British Library and on BBC Radio 4, and is a passionate campaigner for libraries, literacy, and reading for pleasure. Visit him online at sfsaid.com or on X/Instagram/Bluesky @whatSFSaid.

Dave McKean (he/him) is a multi-award-winning illustrator who has designed an incredible number of award-winning and ground-breaking books, collaborating with world-famous names in literature such as Neil Gaiman (Coraline), David Almond (Mouse Bird Snake Wolf), Richard Dawkins, and Ray Bradbury. He has also worked as a concept artist on films such as Harry Potter. Visit him on Instagram @davemckeanhourglass.