El Ashfield

As a child El Ashfield engaged in tree climbing, scribbling, dropping wood off bridges and fishing it out again and writing long speeches about her hatred for sprouts. Following a stint at both Oxford University and the Camberwell Art College, her first illustrated book exploded onto a rather nervous world. "Ralph is (not) a Superhero," was shortlisted for the 2010 Gateshead Children's Book Award, and won the University of the Arts Creative Seed Fund Award. The sequel,"Ralph is (not) a Vampire" was shortlisted for the Royal Mail Awards and a finalist (top 3 - she got to stand on stage and meet Frederick Forsyth, it was incredulible) in the People's Book Prize 2011. Her third illustrated book, out October 2011,"Ralph is (not) a Spy" contains invisible ink toilet paper, espionage hamsters and has been described (mostly by me, sorry her) as "ridonculously fantasmagoric (with knobs on)" which actually means rather good...