Born in Belfast, Martin Waddell is widely regarded as one of the greatest living children's writers, and has over 220 published titles to his name. In 2024 he became the recipient of the An Post Irish Book Awards' Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to children's literature. He is perhaps best known for Owl Babies, illustrated by Patrick Benson and Farmer Duck, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury; as well as the 1989 Kurt Maschler Award-winning The Park in the Dark and the Little Bear series, both illustrated by Barbara Firth. In 2004, Martin received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for his lasting contribution to children's literature, the highest career recognition available to a writer or illustrator of children's books.