Julia Donaldson
Clare Kirtley

Julia Donaldson has captivated children all over the world with her lively and engaging stories and is the bestselling children's author in the UK. The former Children's Laureate has written nearly 200 books, for home and school, including The Gruffalo and the Songbirds series. Inspired by her children's lives, her own childhood memories and folk tales and fairy stories, she has written songs, poems and novels for children. She is also patron of Artlink Central charity which helps get artists, musicians and storytellers into schools and other community spaces. Julia Donaldson divides her time between Scotland and West Sussex where she lives with her husband, Malcolm, who often joins her on stage for their sell-out singalong shows.