Comedian Russell Brand is an international phenomenon. As well as starring in movies such as Get Me to the Greek , Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Despicable Me , he is also the author of six books including the Sunday Times bestselling memoir My Booky Wook and Revolution . In 2011 Brand was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Award at the British Comedy Awards. He toured his most recent stand-up show The Messiah Complex worldwide. He regularly writes for the Guardian and recently guest-edited an issue of the New Statesman .Illustrator Chris Riddell is a Costa prize-winning illustrator, author and the current Children's Laureate. He has worked as a political cartoonist for the Economist , the Independent and the Observer and has achieved international success through his collaboration with Paul Stewart ( The Edge Chronicles ). He has illustrated an exceptional range of books and is winner of many illustration awards, including the UNESCO Prize and the Greenaway Medal and also writes and creates his own books, such as the highly-acclaimed Ottoline and the Costa prize-winning Goth Girl .