May Gibbs is one of Australia's best-known illustrators and her gum-nut babies have been adored by generations of children. For the first time her early life and artistic career are explored in detail. She travelled to England in a quest to develop as an artist and became an early supporter of the suffragettes. She began by painting wildflowers, and quickly discovered the limitations of being a female artist and the challenge of a career in art. One of the few women to become a commercial success, she did so by turning to fantasy and children's illustration. This is a fascinating biography of a talented artist.