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Bill Allerton is so busy on the Sheffield scene, it makes my head spin.

Chris Bradford is the most exciting new writer for children that I know. His Young Samurai series about a boy struggling to become a samurai in medieval Japan has got all that any boy and quite a few girls might want. Look out for the movie!

Pauline Chandler is a great writer of historically based adventure stories for children of about 8 or 9 years plus. The Mark of Edain is about Aoife the druid's daughter, a strong female character who battles against villainy and history itself. Children will love the mystical Earth Mother magic that comes to Aoife at her times of greatest need, confounding the wretched Romans.

Lynne Chapman both writes and illustrates books for children. Her lively website is full of things to do.

Berlie Doherty has twice won the Carnegie Medal for children's fiction. She has just finished her trio of tales for juniors about Tam's adventures in Faery. I'm going to re-read the lot and I've started with The Starburster. She breathes new life into the story of Tamlin by making him a little boy trying to save his baby sister who has been stolen away by the King of the Fairies. Great stuff!

Adele Geras has written lots of great books for children and adults. I've just been reading her illustrated story book Cleopatra. It's a feast of words and images about the last of the Pharaohs and her Roman lovers and enemies, as told by her handmaiden Nefret. I couldn't put it down! Recommended for anyone who's fascinated by pyramids and mummies. Aren't we all?

Julia Jarman has a lively and useful web site. Her many titles for children include the series about Ka, the Time Travelling Cat (most recently and the Tudor Treasure). There are downloadable resources for teachers and a how-to-do-it for children with Story Cat - How to Write a Story. Great!