John Cunliffe worked for many years as a librarian, a teacher and later a full-time writer. His first book, Farmer Barnes Buys a Pig, was published in 1964. He is best known as the creator of the hugely popular characters Postman Pat and Rosie and Jim and is the author of around 190 books for young children, including five volumes of poetry, as well as numerous picture books and collections of stories. He also wrote a stage play, The Twelve Days of Christmas, which was presented by the Hull Truck Theatre Company during their 1997 season.