Having initially trained as a graphic designer, Susan Steggall became a primary school teacher and taught young children for several years. After having her own two boys, she began work in a school library where she enjoyed finding out about new authors and illustrators and selecting beautiful new books for the shelves. As her boys grew up, she started making all sorts of pictures for them of the cars, trucks and trains they found so fascinating. After lots of experiments, the idea of using torn coloured and textured paper evolved. Susan lives in the New Forest in Hampshire. She makes the collages for her picture books in a wooden workshop in the garden, listening to her favourite music and drinking extraordinary amounts of tea.