Julie Frances Logan

After many happy years as a teacher, literacy leader and Headteacher, I bought a small café and transformed it into an old-fashioned sweet shop selling sweets and the best ice cream ever! (Well, that's what my customers told me.)

My eldest grandson named it Dilly Dilly's and the name just stuck. I built a den next to my shop, filled with books, games and chalk. This kept me connected to the local children and gave them a place to call their own. What a hoot it was, especially when they drew giant ice creams and lollipops all over the brickwork.

My years in education and parenting taught me that the best stories do more than develop reading skills. They break through into a child's world, or at least they should. They invite children into the story...

And so, whilst making chocolate bars and chatting with customers, I would often wonder what went on beneath the floorboards of my sweet shop. Before long, Dilly, with her long curly tail and wonky ears, bounced into my imagination and has now jumped onto the pages of her very own book.

Through Dilly's adventures, I hope young readers discover that being brave doesn't mean never feeling afraid. It means carrying on anyway.

Today I enjoy writing, gardening, eating cake, visiting schools and libraries, and sharing my love of stories with children and families. I hope you enjoy meeting Dilly as much as I've enjoyed bringing her to life.