The Ruler of the Springs

At the age of six, Mary Finch was given a copy of Andrew Lang's Green Fairy Book, and she has loved folk and fairy stories ever since. Now rather older than six, she has two daughters and two grandchildren and lives in Bath, UK. She has had more than twelve years' experience in children's publishing and nine years as a children's bookseller. Her published work includes The Little Red Hen (Barefoot Books, 2018) and The Three Billy Goats Gruff (Barefoot Books, 2001). Martina Peluso has wanted to be an illustrator ever since she read The BFG by Ronald Dahl when she was young. After growing up in Tuscany and Naples, Italy, she studied Art of Printing at the Institute of Art in Naples and has frequented illustration courses at Sarmede and Pavia. She has worked in all areas of illustration, including advertising, packaging, editorial and design; her artwork has been exhibited throughout the world. She has illustrated several children's books, including The Princess of the Springs (Barefoot Books, 2014; republished as The Ruler of the Springs in 2019). She lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.