In 1989 Paula Metcalf won the BBC's Young Animator of the Year Award and her film 'Pick Your Own' was shown on Children's BBC. At 16 she made up her mind to be an author and illustrator and went on to study at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. She graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Illustration and French and an MA (Distinction) in Children's Book Illustration.

Whilst at Anglia Ruskin she entered the Macmillan Prize, a children's book competition, which resulted in her being signed by the publisher. She is currently working on her 9th title for Macmillan. Her graceful, beautifully lit artwork is influenced by dance, animated puppet films, Eastern European fairy tales and her huge love of animals.

During 2008 Paula was selected as the first Illustrator-in-Residence at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire. During the 6 month residency she held illustration, craft and creative writing workshops both in the Museum and in local schools.

Paula's 'Norma Snows' was one of the 13 picture books chosen from 500 contenders, for the ITV children's programme 'Bookaboo'. Her story, about a highly talented anteater, was part-animated and read by Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes.