Authors

Cesar Lador is an artist who is passionate about illustration, children's books and European comic books. His years studying, working and teaching in environmental engineering bring an authenticity to the details in his art.

'I could cope so much better if I could just get a good night's sleep.' This regularly repeated phrase from friends and mothers far and wide (as well as herself) is what prompted Clare Ladyman into the field of sleep science. Clare's PhD looked at how sleep and mental health are related throughout the pregnancy and postnatal periods, and how providing information on sleep can help reduce the likelihood of mothers experiencing depression. She completed her research studies at the Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Massey University, Wellington, and now lives in Perth, Western Australia, with her husband and two teenage boys (who finally now sleep... a lot). Leigh Signal has been a sleep scientist for over 20 years. She is presently associate professor and portfolio director, Fatigue Management and Sleep Health, at the Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Massey University, Wellington. Ten years ago, when she was pregnant with her second child and struggling with her own sleep, she began a series of projects looking at the links between perinatal sleep and mothers' health. One of the projects she co-led was entitled E, Moe Mama ('Go to sleep, mother'). Although when translated it sounds like an instruction, the name is meant to convey care, support and encouragement for mothers to be able to sleep well, which is what she hopes this book helps you do.

Vitale Lafaele served in the New Zealand Army for seven years and the Police for 30. He rose through the ranks to command the Northern Region Armed Offenders and Special Tactics Group where he led successful tactical squads in some of the most nationally significant events in New Zealand's history. When he left school, he applied to join the NZ Army Special Air Service (SAS) in the first intake open to civilians. From the 300 applicants, Vitale was one of four people who survived the 15-month course and spent 7 years as a soldier in the SAS, joining the Police in 1985. Vitale came to New Zealand as a child with his family from Samoa. They lived through hardship in Auckland's Grey Lynn in the 1970s, during the dawn-raids. When he was appointed to the role of area commander Counties Manukau South he was the first Samoan to gain the command of an area in New Zealand and the first Polynesian to reach the top level in any of Auckland's three metropolitan police districts. Vitale is also the only Polynesian to command the Armed Offenders Squad, Special Tactics Group Anti-Terrorist Squad and Dignitary VIP Protection Squad in the NZ Police.

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Rose Lagercrantz is a popular Swedish author of books for children as well as for adults. Her first book was published in 1973. She has received many of the top Swedish literary awards, including the August Prize and the Astrid Lindgren Prize.Eva Eriksson is one of the world’s great illustrators. Her awards include the Astrid Lindgren Prize and the August award and she is consistently nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen and other international awards. Eriksson has illustrated numerous books published by Gecko Press including the internationally popular My Happy Life junior fiction series.

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Justin Laing is the author of A-Z with the ABs and is based in Brisbane. Rugby fanatic and loyal All Blacks supporter. He hung up the boots in 2013, after 23 seasons of playing. His favourite AB's memory growing up was his first live test match at Athletic Park in '96 when the All Blacks beat the Wallabies 43-6 in the rain. Now with his own young family, Justin's excited about sharing a little AB's history at story time at home.

Izzy Laing has an IT and Communications background. She lives in Wellington, is a keen gardener and has a Certificate in Horticulture. Her hope is that through fiction she can encourage children to have an interest in growing things and caring for plants at an early age.