Reading Champion: The Hare and the Tortoise

About the Author

Hilary Robinson (Author)

Hilary Robinson is the author of over 40 children's books including the top selling Mixed Up Fairy Tales and The Copper Tree. She is also a broadcaster and freelance BBC radio producer. Hilary was born in Devon and brought up in Nigeria and England. Her books have been translated into a number of languages and are sold across the world.

James Croft (Illustrator)

James Croft graduated from Wolverhampton University with a first in Illustration. Over the last 25 years, he has worked as a freelance illustrator.

He began his career creating illustrations for magazines and advertising campaigns. He has also worked on children's books and mural designs. At first, he used acrylic paints, posca pens and chalk pastels, but over the last few years, he has created artwork digitally and often combines hand-painted art with digital images.

James has had more than 40 books published and has worked with dozens of clients, such as Aardman, Marks and Spencers, BBC, Macmillan and Penguin.

In 2016, he painted an elephant for 'Herd of Sheffield'. This was Sheffield's biggest public art event to date and consisted of 58 enormous fibreglass elephants placed on a trail across the city.

Since then, he has created many more public art projects. This includes dozens of hospital murals. He aims to bring art out of the gallery and make it more accessible.