She was born in 1965, the middle child of three daughters. Lauren studied Art briefly at Manchester Polytechnic and later at City and Guilds of London Art School, after which she worked in a variety of jobs, including as a painting assistant to Damien Hirst.
Lauren Child has won many awards for her picture books including the Smarties Gold Award, Smarties Bronze Award, Kate Greenaway Medal and has been shortlisted for the Children s Book of the Year at the British Book Award.