Anne Fine is one of the UK's best-loved authors. She was the Children's Laureate from 2001-2003. She has won the Carnegie Medal twice - in 1989 and 1992 - and the Whitbread Award twice - in 1993 and 1996. She has published over 50 titles for children, and also writes for adults. When Anne was Children's Laureate, she initiated a system to encourage children to begin a home library, by collecting book plates. These can still be downloaded from www.myhomelibrary.org. Anne lives in County Durham and was awarded an OBE in 2003. www.annefine.co.uk