Allison Rushby, the daughter of an author, was raised on a wholesome and steady diet of classic English literature. Some of her favourite books, re-read countless dog-eared times include Rumer Godden's The Dolls' House, Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle and Noel Streatfeild's "Shoes" series. She has long been a fan of cities with long, winding histories, wild, overgrown cemeteries, red brick Victorian museums, foxes and ivy. She prefers to write with a cup of Darjeeling tea by her side and a Devon Rex cat curled up in her lap. Bronte Rose Marando is a Sydney based illustrator. Her whimsical artwork is influenced by our natural world, a love of narrative, the unknown and all things mysterious and magical. When she isn’t drawing you can find Bronte with her nose in a good book or wandering about antique stores.