Lisbeth Zwerger

Lisbeth Zwerger was born in Vienna where she later studied at the Academy of Art. Internationally renowned as one of the finest contemporary illustrators of children's literature, Zwerger chose The Gift of the Magi as the first American story she illustrated.

From the dust jacket of The Gift of the Magi

In the Author's Own Words

Fairy tales or imaginary tales by poets/writers appeal to me much more than traditional/collected tales. The reason for this preference is the literary language. It's not just the content, but it's actually the specific language that draws me into a story. From this interview