Helen Oswald grew up in Essex, in the UK. After graduating with a degree in English Literature from London University she qualified as a journalist, working in newspapers. She went on to become a writer and editor at a number of high profile organisations. Later, Helen studied for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, where she was tutored by former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion. Her first book of poetry for adults, Learning Gravity, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for "Best First Collection" - and one of her poems appears in an anthology on the English school syllabus. Helen has only recently started writing picture books for children and is completely smitten, loving the chance to create fun characters and be imaginatively playful. She lives in Brighton, on the South Coast of England. Helen tells us she does have plans to own some pets but since writing Cat and Dog and seeing the sorts of scrapes our furry friends can get into, she's been thinking more fondly of goldfish.