Born in Birmingham UK, John Shelley began illustrating in London, his first children's picture book being shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award. Fascinated by Japanese art, he lived in Tokyo for over 20 years, receiving awards for a wide variety of illustration work in addition to children's books for Western and Japanese publishers. Once more based in the UK, he currently lives in Norfolk. He's a former board member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and a member of the Society of Authors. Since 2018 he's been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award five times.
