Paula Merlán (Vigo, 1979) is a children’s book author with a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s degree in primary education. She currently splits her time between teaching and writing. Since 2021 she has published several works, including picture books, children’s novels, and nonfiction.

She is especially well known for The Finger and the Nose, A Surprise for Mrs. Tortoise, Nibbling Your Nails, and The Bizzies. Her works have been translated into more than thirteen languages. She is the winner of two gold medals at the International Latino Book Awards (U.S.A.), the first in 2018 in the category of Most Inspirational Children’s Picture Book for A Surprise for Mrs. Tortoise (NubeOcho), and the second in 2022 for Nibbling Your Nails, which took the award for Best Educational Children’s Picture Book. Her book La red de Inés was selected by the Spanish Organization of Children’s and Young People’s Books as one of the best books of 2023. She published her 50^th book in 2024.