Clara Vulliamy was born in London, the daughter of author and illustrator Shirley Hughes and her husband, John Vulliamy. She studied at Chelsea School of Art, The Ruskin and the Royal Academy. Clara started concentrating on writing and illustrating children's books when she had children of her own and has now written and illustrated many stories for children and babies. She lives in Twickenham, with her husband and their children Jack and Martha and three guinea pigs.