Gabriele Zucchelli is an animator and filmmaker, whose work includes cartoon characters, realistic animals and fantastical creatures. He has contributed to several hand-drawn productions and blockbuster CGI movies including Harry Potter, Disney's latest Lion King and the Oscar-winning Jungle Book. He has recently co-supervised the animation of the Oscar-winning The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy and the BBC's mini-series Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures. In 2008, he also directed a well-received historical documentary on the first-ever animated feature film, Quirino Cristiani. The Almondine series is his first work as an author of children's books.