About Oliver who was small but mighty: Through the terrific rhyming text and bold illustrations Oliver discovers that, though small, he is indeed mighty as he lives through his fears in this glorious, rollicking work of imagination. -- Julia Eccleshare, Guardian A story with wonderfuflly rhythmic text, lively illustrations and great empathy for young children's fears. -- Nursery World Oliver who was small by Mighty: Oliver A deliciously funny portrayal of the way that a small child transforms a bath into an epic, it will remind you why keeping at least one pirate boat and a few plastic sharks and dolphins are essential. -- Amanda Craig, Times A picture book that will no doubt be revisited many times by any child lucky enough to get it. -- The Bookseller 'Small children snug in their own beds will relish such wild journeys by someone the same age as themselves' -- Independent on Sunday In Oliver Who Would Not Sleep (Hodder GBP10.99), "Oliver Donnington Rimington-Sneep COULDN'T and DIDN'T and WOULD NOT SLEEP!" as a splendidly rhythmic text by Mara Bergman unfolds the story of a boy's imaginative play. He takes a trip to Mars before he settles down. Nick Maland's stylish illustrations add intriguing incident to the tale, using muted colour and lots of pattern. -- Nicolette Jones, Times 'I've left my favourite to last. Oliver Who Would Not Sleep is a tale of a boy for whom bed is the springboard of a restless imagination... Mara Bergmans' verse beings with the jaunty insistence of a nursery rhyme... revs up at blast off, grows quiet for Oliver's contemplation of Mars and then whizzes him back home and puts him gently, gently down to sleep. Nick Maland's illustrations keep pace, and they move the reader skilfully between the sold world of the bedroom and its contents and the porous world of play that Oliver makes for them. -- Clive Barnes, Books for Keeps

Mara Bergman grew up in Wantagh, Long Island, USA, and knew at an early age that she wanted to be a writer. Her poems have been published in many magazines, and she received a Writer's Bursary from South East Arts UK for 1995/6, as well as prizes in several poetry competitions. Mara has always felt a strong link between poetry and picture books, and she began to write for children when her own were young. She now works in London as a children's fiction editor and lives in Tunbridge Wells with her family and their many pets. Nick graduated in English & Drama from London University in 1981. He pursued a career in the theatre - acting and directing in the London fringe and, during this time, devloped an interest in drawing, which soon took over as a full-time career. He was shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award in 1996 (for Welcome Night) and the Children's Book Award in 1998 (for Brave Whale). Parenting Magazine in America gave Big Blue Whale an award. He has a daughter and a son and lives in London.