Shenaz Patel was born and lives on Mauritius Island. She has several jobs: journalist, playwright, novelist, and translator, and she is also a comics and children's book author. She has written nine books for children, including A Dream of Birds, which was first published in French and English in Mauritius and France, and numerous historical titles for kids. Her works have often won awards. She was named Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2013, a high honor given by the French minister of culture.