While Neal was growing up, he spent much of his time playing in the dirt, making homemade catapults and drawing pictures. He studied BA Graphic Design at Newcastle and MA Illustration at Central Saint Martins. His studio is a room in his house where he can make a mess. The walls are covered with pictures, drawings, scribbles, badges, photos, posters, packaging and anything else that he finds inspiring. He uses all sorts of different media to make his illustrations: pencils, paint, pens, ink, pieces of collage, biros, photocopiers, cameras, a computer, bits of stick, old toothbrushes, dough, hair, leaves, anything that comes to hand... He likes his illustrations to appear as fresh and spontaneous as possible. He lives in Portsmouth with his family. Betsy Layton (aged eighteen months) advised Neal on all aspects of this book.