Sally Gardner is a renowned British children's literature writer and illustrator. She garnered significant acclaim, winning both the Costa Book Award for Children's Book and the Carnegie Medal for her novel Maggot Moon (Hot Key Books, 2012). Under her pseudonym Wray Delaney, she has also ventured into writing adult novels.

Gardner grew up in London and continues to reside there. Despite being dyslexic and facing educational challenges, including being labeled unteachable and sent to a school for maladjusted children, she triumphantly gained a degree with the highest honors from a leading London art college. This was followed by a scholarship to a theater school, leading to a successful career as a costume designer.

Gardner's transition to writing began after the birth of her twin daughters and a son, starting with illustrating and then writing picture books and chapter books, often infused with fairytale or magical themes. She has been praised as 'an idiosyncratic genius' by London's Sunday Times.