David Almond OBE is the acclaimed author of many award-winning novels for children such as Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and My Name Is Mina, and has collaborated with artists such as Polly Dunbar, Dave McKean, Alex T. Smith and Oliver Jeffers on fiction for younger readers. David's books sell all over the world, and in 2011 he was the recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. David lives in Northumberland; for more info visit www.davidalmond.com Lizzy Stewart is an illustrator and author currently based in London. She has written and illustrated three picture books for children and three illustrated books for adults.

A magical, rittly-rattly tale… A gentler story that avoids whittling into the darker themes of Pinocchio to stay closer in tone to Pixar’s Up. But thanks to Almond’s idiosyncratic style it has the same creeping sense of a life hanging in the balance that makes Skellig such an electrifying read 26 years on… Lizzy Stewart’s drawings are pitch-perfect, giving the story the feeling of having been as lovingly handcrafted as Silvester’s green-eyed lad.