M Christina Butler was born in Scarborough. She had an idyllic childhood in the country where she spent her weekends playing on a farm among the animals. Christina worked as a nurse, a pre-school nursery supervisor, and a governor at her local primary school, as well as writing a number of children's books. Tina was born in Edinburgh, and raised in southern England where she still lives today. After graduating from John Moores University with a BA Hons in illustration, Tina worked as a graphic designer before going freelance in 2001. Tina's first picture book was 'One Snowy Night', about a Little Hedgehog in a red bobble hat which spawned an international, best-selling series.