Jo Lodge is an illustrator and paper engineer and was greatly influenced by her artistic parents - her mother, Maureen Roffey, an illustrator, and her father Bernard Lodge, a graphic designer. Jo graduated with a fashion degree from Kingston University and worked for a knitwear company designing their main collection and consulting on projects for Next, Marks & Spencer and Saks Fifth Avenue. Her first books were published by Rod Campbell and her boldly coloured animal characters have been used in a range of series. Jo was nominated for the Sainsbury's Baby Book Award in 2001, was finalist for the Sheffield Baby Book Award in 2007 and was shortlisted for the Booktrust Early years awards in… 2010. She is perhaps best known for her Mr Croc books which have been a hit around the the world with sales exceeding 1 million copies. Jo is also the creator of the new brilliantly interactive Little Roar series. She lives in West Sussex with her husband and two sons.