Michael Morpurgo, the last Children's Laureate, has written more than forty books and won the Whitbread Award, the Smarties Award, the Circle of Gold Award, the Children's Book Award and has been short-listed for the Carnegie Medal four times. He is a tireless champion for children's books and was recently created Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. Quentin Blake's illustration has now taken on iconic status and is famous throughout the world. The inaugural children's laureate, he is one of our best-loved advocates for everything to do with the children's book.