Helen Cooper, the prize-winning author and illustrator of children's favourites such as Pumpkin Soup, Delicious and The Bear Under the Stairs, has written and illustrated 14 books and had her work translated into 15 languages.
'Children have such strong conflicting passions,' she says of what inspires her to write. 'Tears and happiness go side by side, and they're also intrigued by something just a little bit scary - a bear that might be hiding in a cupboard, or a giant cuddly tiger.
'My most recent book, Dog Biscuit, is about Bridget, who eats a dog biscuit and then fears she may turn into a dog - it's the kind of irrational worry that so many children have. I hope that by exploring this kind of territory in a humorous way, children will find it easier to talk about their own fears.'
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