Bruce Whatley is one of Australia's most highly regarded and talented authors and illustrators for children, both here and internationally. Since 1992 Bruce has written and/or illustrated over 90 picture books. In 2002 he paired with author Jackie French and illustrated Diary of a Wombat, which was the start of an extraordinary creative collaboration. www.brucewhatley.com Husband and wife team Bruce Whatley and Rosie Smith have an advertising background, working in both London and Sydney. Their first picture book, The Ugliest Dog in the World, was published in 1992 and was followed closely by Looking for Crabs. Both award-winning titles are still in print. Other major collaborations include Whatley's Quest, Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase and Little White Dogs Can't Jump. Many of Bruce and Rosie's early books were based on their family and often featured their children, Ben and Ellyn - and their unusually ugly dogs! The Danny da Vinci series was inspired by a love for Italy and the remarkable genius of Leonardo da Vinci that Bruce and Rosie wanted to share with young people.