Sibylle Olfers

Born on May 8, 1881, near Königsberg, she became a German children's book author, illustrator, art teacher, and later a nun. Her best-known book, The Story of the Root Children (originally Etwas von den Wurzelkindern), was published in 1906 and remains the work most closely associated with her.

Her picture books are known for their simple design, seasonal imagery, and affection for the world of plants, animals, and childhood. In a short life, she created a small but lasting body of illustrated children's books that continued to be read long after her death.

She died on January 29, 1916, in Lübeck. Although her life was brief, her quietly magical books secured her a lasting place in classic children's literature.