Tony Mitton was born in Tripoli, North Africa and spent his childhood in Africa, Germany and Hong Kong. Before becoming a Primary Learning Support Teacher, he had various jobs - one of them being a Swiss cowherd!

Tony completed a BA in English at Cambridge University before becoming a primary school teacher. He recently gave up teaching to concentrate entirely on being a children's poet and storywriter. His other writing includes: three poetry collections for Scholastic (Plum, The Red and White Spotted Handkerchief and Pip), five titles in the Walker Flip-Flap series (eg Where's My Egg?), the Kingfisher Amazing Machines series (eg Dazzling Diggers) and many other titles for school reading schemes as well as poems in numerous anthologies.

Tony's Raps series has been greeted with much enthusiasm and enjoyment by adults and children alike. These rollicking rhymes retell well-known stories and myths in a thoroughly original way.

Spookyrumpus won the picture book category of the Sheffield Children's Book Award and the fun continues with a crazy alien tea-party in Come to Tea in Planet Zum-Zee.

Tony's latest collaboration with illustrator, Guy Parker-Rees is All Afloat on Noah's Boat, a vibrant rhyming romp based on the traditional bible story.

"The books are neat. The books are cool." - Books for keeps

Tony gives performances as a children's poet and picture-book writer in primary schools, libraries and at literary festivals. Tony lives in Cambridge with his wife and two children.

Questions and Answers

What are your favourite children's books?
Peacock Pie by Walter de la Mare
Collected Children's Poems by Charles Causley

Which famous person would you like to meet and why?
I'd like to meet some of the English language poets who have written poetry for children before me. Especially: Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina Rossetti, Walter de la Mare, Eleanor Farjeon, A.A. Milne, James Reeve and Charles Causley. I'd also love to meet two of my favourite early children's illustrators, Edward Ardizzone and Ernest Shepherd. Ardizzone illustrated de la Mare and Shepherd illustrated A.A.Milne.

What is your perfect sandwich?
BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato in granary with mayo) mmmm. And I used to be vegetarian!

Which animal would you like to be and why?
A cat. Lots of sleep and lazing around. Freedom, not much responsibility. And a great night life.

What is your earliest childhood memory?
Riding my little tricycle round the house shouting, "Milko! Milko!" like the milkman in Noddy. About age 3, I'd say.

Bibliography

Young Fiction Big Bad Raps Fangtastic Raps Great Greek Myth Raps Groovy Greek Hero Raps Mega Greek Myth Raps Mighty Greek Myth Raps Monster Raps Robin Hood Raps Royal Raps Scary Raps Picture Books All Afloat on Noah's Boat Bumpus Jumpus Dinosaurumpus Come to Tea on Planet Zum-Zee Down by the Cool of the Pool Goodnight Me, Goodnight You Spookyrumpus (Winner, Sheffield Children's Book Award 2005 - picture book category)

Crazy Camelot Capers Big Sir B and the Monster Maid Excalibur and the Magic Sword King Arthur and the Mighty Contest Mean Mordred and the Final Battle Morgana and the Spooky Sorceress Sir Galahad and the Grail Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight   Poetry Fluff and Other Stuff

Copyright © 2006: The Watts Publishing Group.