Selfish Giant, The

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854. A brilliant poet, playwright, and wit, Wilde was a phenomenon in 19th century England, advocating the importance of style in life and art. Wilde studied at Oxford University then left for America where his flamboyant personality and air of sophistication and eccentricity caused a media sensation. He was immortalised by the stories he wrote for children such as The Happy Prince and his supernatural masterpiece, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Lisbeth Zwerger is one of the most highly regarded illustrators of children's books and the winner of numerous awards including the Hans Christian Andersen medal presented to her in 1990 to recognize her lifetime contribution to children's literature. Her most recent books for minedition are Grimm's Fairy Tales and The Little Mermaid.