Marcus Pfister was born in Berne, Switzerland, and began his career as a graphic artist in an advertising agency. In 1983, he decided to dedicate more time to artistic pursuits, and began to write and illustrate his first book, The Sleepy Owl, which was published in 1986. His most popular book, The Rainbow Fish has been translated into over 50 languages and continues to be a bestseller.
Marcus Pfister lives with his family in Berne.