Leigh Hobbs is an artist who works across a wide range of mediums. He is best known for his children's books featuring his characters Old Tom, Fiona the Pig, Horrible Harriet, Mr Chicken and Mr Badger, as well as the Freaks and their teachers in 4F for Freaks and Freaks Ahoy. Old Tom has been adapted into an extremely popular TV series. Leigh has three times been shortlisted for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award (for Horrible Harriet, Old Tom's Holiday and Mr Chicken Goes to Paris) and his books have won every major children's choice award in Australia. As well as being shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, Mr Chicken Goes to Paris is a bestseller at the Louvre Bookshop in Paris and is being adapted for the stage by the National Institute for Dramatic Arts. Leigh is Australia's Children's Laureate for 2016 and 2017.