Simon Bartram graduated from Birmingham Polytechnic with a First Class degree in illustration in 1990, and his art style is heavily influenced by artists such as Peter Blake, Peter Howson, Stanley Spencer and Reg Cartwright.

Simon has produced work for ES Magazine, the Independent on Sunday, Woodhouse London and Faber & Faber. His stylised way of drawing, which relies on exaggerated proportions, distortion and strong lighting, is proving popular with modern advertising.

Simon would like to work in all areas of his craft, but he particularly likes illustrating children's books and is currently writing and illustrating stories of his own. He has worked on a number of picture books, most notably a retelling of the children's classic Pinnochio – runner up for the 1999 Mother Goose Award, and The Man on the Moon, shortlisted in 2003 for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award.

Simon lives in Newcastle. His first book for Templar was Pumpkin Moon, followed by Man on the Moon earlier this year. Templar published A Winter's Tale for Christmas, a brilliant imaginative vision of a Christmas wish. Most recently, Simon has worked on Watch Out for Sprouts! — a unique collection of poems, pictures, doodles and serious brain thinking!