The Fantastical World of Cornelia Funke

Cornelia Funke is a creative powerhouse of an author. In this exclusive interview, she shares her inspiration for the creation of Dragon Rider, her New York Times—and global—bestselling fantasy adventure.

Watch the video with your students to learn some fun facts about Cornelia and the Dragon Rider series (including her favorite character)!

After meeting many incredible children during her career as a social worker, Cornelia was inspired to write books about resilient young people who grow up in adverse circumstances. Those stories immediately captured the hearts and minds of German readers, and The Thief Lord—her first book to be translated into English—became an international bestseller.

She went on to create critically acclaimed, award-winning favorites, such as Dragon Rider, the Inkheart trilogy, and the Mirrorworld series. Today, more than 20 million copies of her books have been sold all over the world.

If you and your students enjoyed Dragon Rider, be sure to check out the sequel: The Griffin’s Feather. (Rumor has it a third installment—this time, a graphic novel!—is in the works.)