Lehla Eldridge was born in England and has had an eclectic life working as an actress, illustrator, and a waitress. However she has always illustrated and written since being very young. She is the author and illustrator of The South African Illustrated Cookbook. She also illustrated a children's book called Excuse Me, I'm Trying to Read by Mary Jo Amani, which won the N.A.E.S.P prize for best picture book in 2011 in America."