M. P. Robertson was born in Parsons Green, London. He studied Graphic Design at Hounslow Borough College, where he discovered a love for illustrated books. After leaving Hounslow he spent a year drawing in museums, cathedrals and on the underground before specialising in illustration at Kingston Polytechnic. Among the influences on his style are Mervyn Peake, Heath Robinson and Odile Redon. He believes that more than merely decorating a book, illustration should be integral to the narrative. His books for Frances Lincoln are The Egg, The Great Dragon Rescue and The Dragon Snatcher; Hieronymus Betts and his Unusual Pets, Big Brave Brian, The Moon in Swampland, Edison's Fantastic Phonograph, Ice Trap!, Big Foot, Seven Ways to Catch the Moon and The Sandcastle. He currently lives in Bradford on Avon.