Mordecai Gerstein

Gerstein, Mordecai (1935– ), American illustrator and writer, who began his career in animated films as a writer, director, and producer. During the 1980s he began writing and illustrating books for children. Among his fairy tales are Prince Sparrow (1984), Tales of Pan (1986), Beauty and the Beast (1989), and The Giant (1995). His imaginative use of ink and pastels gives his drawings a surrealist quality, and he has transformed some of his books such as Beauty and the Beast into award‐winning animated films.

— Jack Zipes