Poet and novelist ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (1850-1894) was the author of a number of classic books, including Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Mr. Stevenson was often ill as a child and spent much of his youth confined to his nursery, where he first began to compose stories even before he could read. Russell Punter was born in Bedfordshire, England. As a boy he enjoyed writing and illustrating his own stories. He later trained as a graphic designer before entering publishing. Since then, he has written over ninety books for children, including original fiction and adaptations of classic novels