Antonia Johanna Dragt, known as Tonke Dragt, was a celebrated Dutch writer and illustrator of children's literature. Born on November 12, 1930, in Batavia, now Jakarta, she spent much of her youth in the Dutch East Indies. During World War II, she was interned in a Japanese camp, where she discovered her love for storytelling and drawing, often writing in reused notebooks and even on toilet paper due to scarcity of materials.

After the war, her family moved to the Netherlands, where she completed her high school education and attended the Academy of Fine Arts, becoming an art teacher. Dragt was renowned for her ability to captivate her students with stories, often used to maintain classroom order.

Her notable work, De brief voor de koning, was acclaimed as the best Dutch youth book of the latter half of the twentieth century. Dragt's stories often blend medieval knight epics with futuristic tales and fairy tales with contemporary mysteries, frequently exploring themes of self-discovery and defiance of societal norms to achieve personal growth.

Tonke Dragt passed away on July 12, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of beloved children's books that continue to enchant readers.