Sam McBratney (1943-2020) was the author of one of the world’s best loved and bestselling picture books, Guess How Much I Love You. Sam won the Bass Ireland Arts Prize, the ABBY Award (USA), the Sliveren Griffel (Netherlands) and the Bisto Award, twice. He also wrote the bestselling You’re All My Favourites and the follow-up to Guess How Much I Love You, Will You Be My Friend?, and many other books for children.

Now considered a children’s book classic, Guess How Much I Love You has sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and been translated into 57 languages. The phrase “I love you to the moon and back” has itself taken on iconic stature, and the book is considered an essential title for any nursery, preschool, or library bookshelf.

Born in Portsmouth, Anita Jeram worked in a variety of jobs after leaving school (in a factory and a kennel) before becoming a children’s book illustrator. Anita is married to a palaeontologist and has three children and a menagerie of animals, including cats, dogs, rabbits, toads, a lizard, a snake and a tortoise. She lives in Northern Ireland, and hopes, eventually, to set up a wildlife sanctuary there.

As an artist Anita did a foundation course in visual studies at Manchester Polytechnic, followed by a degree course in illustration. Her first book, “Bill’s Belly Button”, was published a year after she graduated. Anita is best known for her illustrations for the picture book “Guess How Much I Love You”, which was shortlisted for the 1994 Kurt Maschler Award, and is now one of the world’s best-selling picture books.

Illustrating was a labour of love, she says. “Every time I read this book, I want to cry. The story reminds me so much of my own son, who often plays this kind of game with when it’s time for bed.” In 2004, Anita reunited with Guess How Much I Love You author Sam McBratney to produce the follow-up, You’re All My Favourites.