Picasso’s Trousers

Nicholas Allan

Nicholas Allan is the author/illustrator of over thirty children’s books. He wrote his first novel when he was 14, a story about a murder in a school. He sent it to Macmillan who, although they did not accept it, asked to see his next. Nicholas studied painting at the Slade School of Art. During this time he had his first radio play broadcasted by BBC Radio 4. He then completed an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.

Nicholas worked as a waiter, three weeks in a publisher's office and as a part-time teacher of a life class before he published his first book, The Hefty Fairy (1989). Since then he has been a full-time writer and illustrator. Many of his books are bestsellers, including The Queen's Knickers, Father Christmas Needs a Wee, Jesus' Christmas Party, Cinderella's Bum, Heaven, and Where Willy Went.