Vivian French is the author of over 300 books for children: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. She travels widely visiting schools, libraries and book festivals talking about stories, illustration, reading and writing, and – since Covid – also online events. She has worked behind the scenes at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Boswell Book Festival, Wigtown Book Festival, Big Dog, Swansea Wordplay, and the Borders Book Festival, and has interviewed many authors, celebrities and illustrators including Eddie Izzard, Simon Callow, Patrick Gale, Esme Young and Lauren Child.
She is also co-founder of Picture Hooks, a mentoring programme for emerging illustrators, and is much in demand as a lecturer on children’s picture books and illustration. In 2016 she was awarded an MBE for services to literature, literacy, illustration, and the arts.