Ian Whybrow, children's author, was born in Gillingham, Kent and grew up in Margate and in Hong Kong.
He has written over a hundred books for children from picture books to novels, short stories and poetry, and is translated into many languages. Originally a teacher, becoming head of English and Drama and head of Sixth Form at The John Lyon School in North West London, he is now a full-time writer.
The first of his Sniff stories was published in 1989, later becoming a series of books and BBC Radio broadcasts.