Allan Baillie is the author of many highly acclaimed novels and has an outstanding reputation in the field of Australian children's literature. Born in Scotland in 1943, Baillie has lived in Australia since he was seven years old. On leaving school he worked as a journalist and travelled extensively. Consequently, many of his stories reflect his fascination with other cultures and often deal with multicultural issues. Over the years many of Baillie's books have received outstanding awards and commendations, including the 1989 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award for Drac and the Gremlin, and the 1995 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Songman.
