A Bear Hug at Bedtime (Childs Play Library). This item is unavailable.A Bear Hug at Bedtime (Childs Play Library)

On my way to bed, I play with a tiger, a lobster and a bear – and lots of other creatures too. But why are they so familiar? In this celebration of imaginative play, a young child is surrounded and enriched by an extended and diverse family. Inclusive and playful, this is the ideal bedtime read.

Jana Novotny Hunter was born in Czechoslovakia and grew up in England. A graduate of Hornsey College of Art, she spent many years in the USA, working as a textile designer, teacher, writer and mother. Jana has written more than forty books for children.

As a conference speaker and lecturer, Jana focuses on the relationship between image and text in picture books, expertise that has led to her becoming an editor as well as a reviewer. At home with kids of all ages, Jana loves to visit schools and libraries or to run writing workshops.

Kay Widdowson lives and works on the edge of Chorlton Meadows, a nature reserve in Manchester, England. She has been working for more than twenty-eight years, and has been published all around the world. When she’s not illustrating children’s books, Kay designs cards and produces etchings, collagraphs and lino prints. She walks through Chorlton Meadows most days with a sketch book. She collects tin toys, books and vintage pots. Her perfect day would be spent in the studio with a sketch book and her two beautiful cats, listening to the radio and enjoying a big mug of coffee.