Francesca and her twin brother Carlo were born on a cold December day in a small north Italian town close to Torino.  At four years old, after seeing a film about Michelangelo, she would draw inside her wardrobe imagining she was painting the Sistina Chapel.  Eventually she trained in architecture but realised she would rather paint animals and the things that surrounded and so she did a course in Illustration.

Since 1997 Francesca has worked for a number of publishers in various parts of the world including Italy, England, the US, Spain and Japan.  She has received mentions and prizes in a number of international competitions.  She now writes her own stories as well as illustrating and likes to feature her family and friends in these. 

Francesca is married to Luca who teaches Architecture in Torino where they live in an old house in the centre of town.  Francesca's studio is colourful, full of books and looks over a small courtyard garden.  She loves reading, cycling, swimming in the sea, skiing and the cinema - they have no TV.  Horoscopes and people's star signs fascinate her.