Jess Stockham grew up in a large family in a small village a few miles north of London. As a child she loved making stuff, drawing and painting, riding her bike, and generally messing about. She especially remembers spending happy holidays by the Norfolk coast with her cousins, collecting pebbles, building sandcastles and reading piles of old comics when it rained. After she left school, she did an art foundation course, moved to Yorkshire, got married and had a family. She continued to draw and paint until, with a few ups and downs and lucky breaks, she somehow became a full-time illustrator in the 1990s. In 2008 she won the Early Years Award for a board book called 'Tucking In' and to date she has illustrated over 50 books for children. Jess has recently taken time out to go to University to study fine art, graduating in June 2016 with a first-class honours degree. She is now returning to illustration with her debut author-illustrated picture book, the Big Red Rock.

As far back as she can remember she has always loved children's picture books, especially ones that made her laugh, with simple pictures and a strong story. She tries to reflect this in her work, creating characters and situations that can tell a simple story as funnily as possible. Jess now lives in Monmouthshire and is still making stuff, drawing and painting and sometimes collecting pebbles.