Cornelia Funke gained acclaim for her children's novels The Thief Lord (2002) and Dragon Rider (2004), originally published in Germany and later translated into English. These books garnered international attention. She further solidified her reputation with the Inkheart series, consisting of Inkheart (2003), Inkspell (2005), and Inkdeath (2007). All three books in the series were well-received, spending significant time on The New York Times Best Seller list. The popularity of these works led to their adaptation into feature films.

Due to her impressive literary achievements Time magazine recognized her influence on the literary world by including her in their prestigious list of the 100 most influential people globally.