Cornelia Maria Funke is a German author of children's fiction. Born in Dorsten, North Rhine-Westphalia, she began her career as a social worker before becoming a book illustrator. She began writing novels in the late 1980s and focused primarily on fantasy-oriented stories that depict the lives of children faced with adversity. Funke has since become Germany's "best-selling author for children". Her work has been translated into several languages and, as of 2012, Funke has sold over 20 million copies of her books worldwide.
Funke in 2023
Funke speaking at the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair
Dorsten is a town in the district of Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and has a population of about 75,000.
Historical town hall and St. Agatha cathedral
Dorsten in 1641
Dorsten, church: Sankt Agatha Kirche and das Alte Rathaus
Dorsten, church