John Shelley (born 1959) grew up in Sutton Coldfield before studying illustration at Bournville School of Art and Manchester Polytechnic under Tony Ross.

His first children's trade picture book The Secret in the Matchbox published by André Deutsch and Farrar, Straus and Giroux was shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award in the UK and won a Parents' Choice Award in the US in 1989.

From 1987–2008, he lived in Tokyo, rising to prominence following a series of posters for Parco, the fashion retail chain of Seibu Department Stores, and animated TV commercials for Mitsubishi Estate Co.

[citation needed] From 2000–2007, he was Vice Chairman of the International Committee of the Japan Graphic Designers Association (JAGDA).

He is a former Board member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and has been a multiple time nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.