Clive Barker is the best-selling author of eighteen books, including his first book for children, The Thief of Always.

He is also an acclaimed artist, film producer, and director. For four years Mr. Barker has been working on a vast array of paintings to illuminate the text of the books of Abarat, over one hundred of which can be found within this first volume. Mr. Barker lives in California with his partner, the photographer David Armstrong, and their daughter, Nicole. They share their house with four dogs, five goldfish, a parrot, fifteen rats, innumerable wild geckoes, a cockatiel, and a parrot called Malingo.