A.A. Milne was born in London in 1882 and became a successful playwright and poet. He based Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and friends on the real nursery toys of his son Christopher Robin and published the first of their adventures in 1926. Since then, Pooh has become a world-famous bear, and Milne's stories have been translated into seventy-two languages.

BRIAN SIBLEY is a writer and broadcaster with a life-long interest in fantasy books and cinema. His fascination with J. R. R. Tolkien and the myths and history of Middle-earth?

Jeanne Willis wrote her first book aged five and has now written over eighty titles. She has won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Award, the Silver Smarties Prize and has been shortlisted for the Whitbread Award. As well as her extensive writing experience Jeanne once worked as a reptile vet's assistant, has owned cats, a rat and a toad called Dave. She has never performed in an animal talent show but she did get married at London Zoo.

After leaving art school Mark designed greetings cards before starting to write and illustrate children's books. He has now written and illustrated over thirty books and designed more than five hundred greetings cards.