Laurence Anholt spent his early childhood in Holland where he developed a passion for Art. Before he attended school for his passion, Anholt worked as a Hotel-Night-Receptionist, a Carpenter, a Schoolteacher and an Art Lecturer, among various other odd jobs. Anholt studied painting for eight years and earned a Master's Degree from the Royal Academy of Art in London. He met his wife and partner Catherine at the Falmouth School of Art in Cornwall. The first books the husband and wife team published were about a small pig called Truffles, in 1983 for their oldest daughter, Claire. Laurence writes all of their books and Catherine has illustrated about half of them. Laurence also illustrates his… own books, in particular the bestselling series about great artists. Their work has won many awards, including the Nestl� Smarties Gold Award, the Kids' Club Network Award, the Right Start Toy and Book Award three times, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award twice, the English Association Four to Eleven Awards twice, the US Children's Media Award and the CCBC Choices 2001 twice. They have over 70 children's titles in print. Anholt is also a public speaker and has made appearances at the European Council of International Schools Conference, The UK's Northern Children's Book Festival, the Cheltenham Festival, the Edinburgh Festival and the Hay-on-Wye Festival. He also helped to judge the prestigious Nestl� Smarties Award.