Eric Hill, born in 1927 in England, is the author and illustrator of the popular Spot series of books for children. Hill left school at the age of 15 to go to work in an art studio. There he learned basic cartooning, which he employs in his drawings of Spot and other animals and figures. The first book in the Spot series, Where's Spot, was a handmade book that Hill produced for his son, Christopher. Published commercially in 1980 by Putnams, it features a frisky mischievous little puppy named Spot who has become an instantly recognizable figure to most small children. The books are easy to read, often have a flap for children to look beneath, and are simply illustrated. There are now more… than 30 books in the series. Hill has also illustrated the Peek-A-Book series, the Baby Bear Storybook series, and a number of other children's books. He has won several awards for the Spot books, including a Notable Children's Book citation from the American Library Association and a Children's Book of the Year award from the Child Study Association of America. In addition, Hill has produced an adaptation of the Spot stories for the British Broadcasting Company.