About the Author

Mike Dumbleton started writing when he decided he wasn't getting any better at basketball and his three children were old enough to allow him some uninterrupted time. His first book, DIAL-A-CROC, published in 1991, was a great success and continues to be very popular. Since then Mike has written picture book titles such as MR KNUCKLES, GRANNY O'BRIAN AND THE DIAMONDS OF SELMORE, and the recent bedtime story LETS ESCAPE, and he has had work adapted for the stage and for television. Mike Dumbleton was born in England where he qualified as a teacher before emigrating to Australia with his wife Linda in 1972. He now lives in Adelaide with his family and works as a Literacy Curriculum Officer for the Department of Education Training and Employment. In addition to watching basketball, Mike also enjoys jogging, swimming and watching soccer in his spare time. Mike's picture book, DOWNSIZED was his fourth title to be selected by the Children's Book Council as a Notable Book. Mike has also published the popular and uplifting story PASSING ON in 2001, which was shortlisted for the CBC Awards in the Early Childhood category and the funny and bright MUDDLED-UP FARM, which was a CBC Notable Book. Mike was born in England and immigrated to Australia with this wife Linda. He now lives in Adelaide where he works as a high school English and Cross Curriculum Literacy Coordinator. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Terry Denton teamed up with Gillian Rubinstein for MR PLUNKETT'S POOL, which won the Australian Multicultural Picture Book Award in 1993. Since then, they have collaborated on JAKE AND PETE, which has been adapted for theatre and toured nationally by Kim Carpenter's Theatre of Image, JAKE AND PETE AND THE STRAY DOGS, JAKE AND PETE AND THE CATCROWBATS and, most recently, JAKE AND PETE AND THE MAGPIE'S WEDDING and DUCKY'S NEST.