Michael Emberley has been writing and illustrating children's books since 1979. He grew up in Ipswich, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, lived in San Diego, and Oakland California for many years, and now lives with his wife on the east coast of Ireland. He has no art degree, no writing degree, no kids, no house and no pets, but he does have a lot of pencils and a pretty decent computer. He also has a sister and father (Rebecca and Ed) who also make children's books, and a mother, Barbara, who has written books herself. His hobbies include bicycle racing, bike riding, cycling, mountain biking, reading about bikes and avoiding driving. He bought his first television set at age of forty so he could watch a bike race and his first car a few years later because there was no subway in California. He now lives quietly in a small village by the sea, spending most of his time cycling the narrow lanes up into the surrounding Wicklow Mountains. The rest of the time he can be spotted haunting the local pubs and coffee houses sketching and writing. He's easy to find - he's the tall thin one in the corner with the sketch pad, a tall glass or mug in front of him, and the funny accent.