Chris d'Lacey is a hugely talented children's writer, whose first novel for older children, Fly, Cherokee Fly was highly commended for the Carnegie Medal in 1999. This is his third Red Apple for Orchard. Chris loves animals and enjoys writing about them, his favourite animals being squirrels, polar bears, pigeons and cats. He lives in Leicester with his wife and manages to find time for a full-time scientific post at Leicester University, alongside his writing.