Nancy Dickmann grew up in the USA, where she played baseball, ate hot dogs and read encyclopaedias for fun. She has now lived in England long enough to think that cold and rain are normal, but still has yet to try Morris dancing. Before becoming an author, she worked as an editor and publisher of children's books. Now, with Pushkin the Three-Legged Wonder Cat as her trusty assistant (in charge of lap-sitting), she writes books on a wide range of topics, including animals, space, history, health and explorers. The highlight of her career so far has been getting to interview a real astronaut to find out how they use the toilet in space!