Catherine Bruton studied English at Oxford University and has been juggling life as a teacher, children's author and mum for the past fifteen years. As an English teacher she sees first hand the impact stories can have on young readers - opening their eyes, expanding their horizons, making them ask questions and see the world differently. Her books tackle some of the big issues faced by young people today - terrorism, immigration, the cult of celebrity, the refugee crisis - in ways that are heart-breaking, often hilarious, but invariably hopeful. As her alter-ego Cate Shearwater, she is also the author of the much-loved Somersaults and Dreams series.