P.L. Travers was born in 1899 in Maryborough in Queensland, Australia and was one of three sisters. She was a keen reader, particulary of all kinds of myths and legends, but before long she moved on to reading her mother's library books(which involved sneaking into her room while she was asleep!). Pamela deliberately kept her life very private. She lived for a while in Ireland and London, and travelled frequently to America, where she was made writer in residence to both Smith and Radcliffe Colleges in Massachusetts. She worked as a secretary, a dancer and an actress, but writing was P.L. Travers's real love, and for many years she was a journalist. It was while recuperating from a serious illness that she wrote "i"Mary Poppins"/i"-"to while away the days, but also to put down something that had been in my mind for a long time", she said. She recieved an OBE in 1977, and died in 1996. Lauren Child burst on to the children’s books scene in 1999 and has since published many bestselling and award-winning books, including those featuring the hugely popular Charlie and Lola, and the Clarice Bean series. She has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and the Smarties Gold Award. Her books have been made into an award-winning TV series and have sold in many languages with runaway success.