Maggie Alderson wanted to be an author from the age of six, when her dad read her a Paddington Bear book and she fell out of bed laughing. Her best ever holiday was when she was eight and she won a Puffin Club competition, and spent a week in a big old house with loads of other bookworms and famous authors. Since then she has written five novels, three collections of journalism and loads of other stuff, including a lot of lists. She has one daughter called Peggy, who is six and three quarters. Peggy's favourite book is My Uncle is a Hunkle, featuring Clarice Bean, by Lauren Child. She thinks it is truly marvellous.