Simple Technology: Levers

Liz Lennon is a writer who specialises in children's non-fiction. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and young daughter, who is the best critic of her mum's work. Ellie is a coffee addict, an avid snowboarder and bad joke-teller. She completed her degree in Illustration in Plymouth and now lives in Worcester with her (equally bad joke-telling) boyfriend. They both love lazy Sundays watching cartoons all day, Ellie's biggest inspiration for drawing! She has always loved watching cartoons and when she was around 8 she decided, "Hey, I want to draw like that!" So she picked up her pencil, and here we are. Ellie loves writing and illustrating children's books, starting with scribbles before drawing and colouring up in Illustrator and Photoshop. When she's not doodling or drinking coffee, you will usually find her shopping for makeup, binge-watching cartoons or watching pug videos online. "Yes, I am an adult, why do you ask?"

• 1: What is a lever?1: Forces and machines1: The parts of a lever1: Lifting the load1: Moving the fulcrum1: Lift off1: Big spade, little spade1: Wheelbarrow1: Hammer1: Tennis racket1: Crane1: Levers in pairs: Scissors and tweezers1: Levers and people1: Glossary1: Index