Diana Wynne Jones was born in London in 1934. She grew up amidst the destruction of World War II, and as a result her family moved around a lot as she was growing up, before finally settlign in Essex. Not being able to get many books, Jones and her sister made up their own stories, and though Jones was dyslexic, she wrote down her stories anyway. Between the ages of 12 and 14 she filled more than twenty notebooks with two stories. In 1953, Jones began school at St. Anne's College Oxford and attended lectures by J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. After graduation, Jones continued to write, creating plays for children that were performed at the London Arts Theatre. Her first book was published… in 1973, and in 1977, her book Charmed Life won the Guardian Award for Children's Books. She was twice runner up for the Carnegie Medal and in 1999 won the Mythopeic Award and the Karl Edward Wagner Award.
Hayao Miyazaki is the most beloved animator in Japanese history and the creator of several successful films, including the 2002 Academy Awardreg;-winning SPIRITED AWAY, CASTLE IN THE SKY, PRINCESS MONONOKE (winner of the Japan Academy Award for Best Film release of 1997), MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE. Whether working with comics or animation, Miyazaki's work is known for its entertaining plots, compelling characters, and breathtaking art. He currently works out of Studio Ghibli, where he writes, draws and directs with partner Isao Takahata (GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES).