Barbara Sleigh (1906–1982) was a novelist, script writer and journalist. She wrote a number of novels for children, the most famous of which are the Carbonel trilogy; King of Cats, The Kingdom of Carbonel and Carbonel & Calidor (Puffin). The books are still in print in the UK and overseas in China, Italy, Japan and the USA. Her other novels include Jessamy, Grimblegraw and the Wuthering Witch and The Patchwork Quilt.

Carbonel is now published as part of Puffin’s modern classics series.