As a child in Germany, Katja Brandis began to write stories that were often set in distant worlds. After a traineeship at a publishing house and a job as a journalist, she was finally able to make her dream come true in 2006 to devote herself entirely to writing books. She has published more than 50 books, about half of which are novels for young readers. She lives with her husband, son, and three cats near Munich.

Rachel Ward lives in Wymondham, near Norwich, UK, and is a freelance literary and creative translator from German and French to English. Having always been an avid reader and enjoyed word games and puzzles, she discovered a flair for languages at school and went on to study Modern Languages. She spent her third year working as a language assistant at two grammar schools in Germany. She specializes in children’s and young adult literature as well as crime fiction and other contemporary literature.