Maudie Smith began her career as an actor. She spent years perching on scenery in the back of a van, while touring with a small-scale theatre company. In children's theatre, she played well-known characters such as Piglet and the Snow Queen. She recently graduated from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People. Maudie lives in a village near Bath with her screenwriter husband, two daughters, two cats, two chickens and far too many stick insects. Visit her website http://www.maudiesmith.co.uk/ and follow her on Twitter @MaudieSmithTony Ross is one of Britain's best-known illustrators, with many picture books to his name, including the bestselling Little Princess stories (Andersen). He has also produced the line drawings for many fiction titles, for authors such as David Walliams, Jeanne Willis, Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren, and many more.

The story of an alien who comes to earth on a mission to make friends, this is a rather lovely debut. Quirky and very charming, Opal is something of a futuristic Pippi Longstocking, which can only be a good thing

Maudie Smith began her career as an actor. She spent years perching on scenery in the back of a van, while touring with a small-scale theatre company. In children's theatre, she played well-known characters such as Piglet and the Snow Queen. She recently graduated from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People. Maudie lives in a village near Bath with her screenwriter husband, two daughters, two cats, two chickens and far too many stick insects. Visit her website http://www.maudiesmith.co.uk/ and follow her on Twitter @MaudieSmithTony Ross is one of Britain's best-known illustrators, with many picture books to his name, including the bestselling Little Princess stories (Andersen). He has also produced the line drawings for many fiction titles, for authors such as David Walliams, Jeanne Willis, Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren, and many more.

The story of an alien who comes to earth on a mission to make friends, this is a rather lovely debut. Quirky and very charming, Opal is something of a futuristic Pippi Longstocking, which can only be a good thing

Maudie Smith began her career as an actor. She spent years perching on scenery in the back of a van, while touring with a small-scale theatre company. In children's theatre, she played well-known characters such as Piglet and the Snow Queen. She recently graduated from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People. Maudie lives in a village near Bath with her screenwriter husband, two daughters, two cats, two chickens and far too many stick insects. Visit her website http://www.maudiesmith.co.uk/ and follow her on Twitter @MaudieSmithTony Ross is one of Britain's best-known illustrators, with many picture books to his name, including the bestselling Little Princess stories (Andersen). He has also produced the line drawings for many fiction titles, for authors such as David Walliams, Jeanne Willis, Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren, and many more.

The story of an alien who comes to earth on a mission to make friends, this is a rather lovely debut. Quirky and very charming, Opal is something of a futuristic Pippi Longstocking, which can only be a good thing