Simon Chapman (Author) Self-confessed adventurer Simon Chapman has written 25 children's books, including the BBC Wildlife award-winning Expedition Diaries series. When not exploring, Simon heads a Science Faculty in a high school in Lancashire and his pupils' questions often lead onto book ideas. His ten Explorers Wanted books for Egmont, which he also illustrated, show young readers how to explore wildernesses all over the world. One of these, At the North Pole, was Blue Peter 'Best book with facts' in 2005. Qu Lan (Illustrator) Qu Lan was born and raised in China. After graduating in oil-painting from the China Academy of Art, she moved to France and worked as a graphic designer in agencies. She then discovered the passion for illustration and launched her career as freelance illustrator. She has worked for major publishers, including Hachette, Usborne, Penguin Random House, Magic Cat and OUP. Her artwork is exhibited regularly and has received awards around the world.