Gillian McClure

Gillian McLure was born in Bradford in 1948 and studied at both Bristol University and Moray House, Edinburgh.

She was first inspired to write and illlustrate her own books while teaching in infant and nursery schools in Scotland in the 1970s. Since then she has written and illustrated many books, including three collaborations with her father, the poet Paul Coltman, of which Tinker Jim (1992) and Tog the Ribber were both shortlisted for the Smarties Book Award. The latter was also Highly Commended in the Kate Greenaway Award.

As well as representing UK children's writers and illustrators at International Conferences, Gillian currently holds a Royal Literary Fund Fellowship at Kent University and is a judge and mentor for The New Writing Partnership Escalator 2006.

She lives in Cambridge with her three sons.