Kusho Ralla was born in Tibet in 1933 and recognised as the 13th Tulku (an incarnation of a famous Lama, Ralotswa) he entered the Sundu monastry at age 7. He took a six month journey from Lasha to India to escape Chinese soldiers, a journey on which his brothers were shot and killed. Aftr arriving in India he taught refugee schools. As well as his work on The Mouse King for Puffin he illustrated a book of Tibetan folk tales.