Brought up partly in Holland, 
Laurence
has been described as ‘one of the most versatile writers working
for children today' and was included in the Independent on Sunday 'Top
10 Children's Authors in Britain'. He trained originally as a Fine Artist
and has a Master’s Degree
from the Royal Academy of Art and runs regular seminars
and workshops from his spacious studios in Lyme Regis.Catherine
has an Irish background - she was one of eight children - and has a
Master’s Degree from the Royal College.
Many
of the Anholts' books grew directly from family life with their three
(now grown up) children, Claire (21) and twins, Tom and Maddy (19).
For
example, the idea for Chimp and Zee came from the misadventures of twins,
Tom and Maddy when they were young.
The
Anholts live in a huge and very unusual old house which was formerly a
coaching inn, built on a bridge arching across the River Lym in Lyme Regis
Old Town. 
(The
Anholts could catch fish from their bedroom window just like Chimp and
Zee!). Catherine and Laurence share their house with a cat called Harrods!
The Anholts are the only authors in the UK to own their own bookshop.
Stocked exclusively with Anholt books, cards and artwork, the extraordinary
'Chimp and Zee, Bookshop by the Sea’
has been described as “like stepping inside a storybook”.
