Russell Punter (Author) Russell Punter was born in Bedfordshire, England. From an early age he enjoyed writing and illustrating his own stories. He trained as a graphic designer at art college in West Sussex before entering the world of publishing. He has written over one hundred books for children of all ages, ranging from original stories to adaptations of classic novels.Mairi Mackinnon (Author) Mairi Mackinnon has lived in England, Scotland, France, Italy and Spain, and worked as a teacher, translator and tour manager before joining Usborne. Over the years she has written and edited Usborne books in sixteen languages, from Arabic to Welsh. She lives in a house full of thousands of books and many strange musical instruments, from electric cellos to didgeridoos.