Children's author Sheila May Bird has been writing stories since 2005, including the Pete's Peculiar Petshop series, illustrated by Jim Field. The King's Hats - an 'an uplifting and humorous' picture book celebrating the coronation is illustrated by Mark Beech, and is out with Welbeck in spring 2023.

Sheila does most of her writing in a little blue shed in her garden. It is decorated with letters and pictures from her readers. Through the window she can see fields with rabbits, pheasants and deer.

Her first book was Sam the Big Bad Cat, published by Harper Collins in 2005. A young reader, it stars Sam - a delightfully naughty cat.

Of her subsequent books, her favourites include Pirate Percy’s Parrot - published by OUP for the Reading Tree. She's particularly fond of it because her two year old granddaughter does a very good impression of One Eyed Jack saying 'ooar'.

And of My Auntie Susan, published by Crabtree for their Tadpole series, Sheila says:

'My godson used to say about me ‘My Auntie Sheila, what is she like?’ because I always made a mistake with his birthday; the day, the month, his age. I feel an affinity with Auntie Susan. And who couldn’t adore Daniel Postgate’s illustrations?'

Sheila May Bird has worked with many publishers over the years, including OUP and Harper Collins. When she isn't thinking up stories, she loves walking in the countryside.

She's represented by The Catchpole Agency.