Cornelia Funke author page

Cornelia Funke biography

Cornelia Funke is a German author and illustrator renowned for her contributions to children’s and young adult fantasy literature. Born on December 10, 1958, in Dorsten, North Rhine-Westphalia, she initially pursued a career in social work, focusing on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her experiences in this field inspired her to create stories that would captivate both avid readers and those less inclined to read.

After studying education at the University of Hamburg, Funke completed a course in book illustration at the Hamburg State College of Design. She began her career illustrating children’s books and designing board games. Dissatisfied with the narratives she was illustrating, she started writing her own stories, leading to the publication of over 60 books, many of which have been translated into more than 50 languages and have sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

Funke’s international breakthrough came with The Thief Lord (2000), followed by Dragon Rider (1997), which remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 78 weeks. Her most acclaimed work is the Inkheart series, comprising Inkheart (2003), Inkspell (2005), Inkdeath (2007), and The Colour of Revenge (2023). The first book was adapted into a feature film released in 2008.

In addition to the Inkheart series, Funke has authored the MirrorWorld series, including Reckless (2010), Fearless (2013), The Golden Yarn (2016), and The Silver Tracks (2021). She has also written the Ghosthunters series and the Wild Chicks series, the latter of which has been adapted into several films.

Funke’s work has earned numerous accolades, such as the Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Children’s Literature and the Mildred L. Batchelder Award. In 2005, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.