Aliki Brandenberg

Who is Aliki Brandenberg?

Aliki Liacouras Brandenberg is an American author and illustrator of books for children.

Brandenberg was born in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, to James Peter and Stella Liacouras. Her parents, who lived in Philadelphia, were originally from Greece, and they taught her to speak Greek as a first language. She started to draw at an early age, and her parents enrolled her in art classes. She also took piano lessons.

After graduating from the Philadelphia Museum School of Art in 1951, Brandenberg worked briefly at the J. C. Penney Company in New York, in that company’s display department. She then moved back to Philadelphia and worked as a freelance artist, creating art for advertising and display purposes. She also taught classes in art, worked as a muralist, and started a greeting card company.

In 1956 Brandenberg decided to explore her Greek heritage, as well as many other parts of Europe. During her travels she met Franz Brandenberg, whom she married the following year. After moving to Franz’s native Switzerland, Brandenberg wrote her first book The Story of William Tell, about the legendary Swiss archer. The book, published in 1960, was well received.