This was inspired by an old oriental story about the time when unborn animals chose their gifts from God.

It was great fun to write a Truly Ghastly Teacher. I had a horrible teacher when I was in the Infants, and I used to wish and wish that she'd go away. And then one day I got to school...and, quite suddenly, she'd left.

I'm afraid we danced round the playground cheering.

Steve May's picture of the dead teacher in this book is an all-time favourite of mine. He's brilliant at using patterns to link the shapes of his pictures together.

I based the aliens, Trowpockle and Miss Trada, on my dentist and his nurse. His nickname was "Butcher" and he used to do silly walks with a scalpel in each hand.

Trowpockle's quite normal, really, considering!

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