Jill Murphy was born in London, England on July 5, 1949. She attended the Chelsea Art School and the Croydon Art School. Before becoming a full-time author and illustrator, she worked as a nanny and in a children's home. Her first book, The Worst Witch, was published when she was 24 years old and became the first book in The Worst Witch series. She is also known for her Mr. and Mrs. Large picture books. Her works has won numerous awards including the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal for Peace at Last, the 1987 Parents Magazine Best Books for Babies Award for Five Minutes' Peace, and the 1995 Smarties Book Prize, the 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award, and the 1996 Gateshead Gold Award for The… Last Noo-Noo.