Biography
Annika Dunklee was born in Uppsala, Sweden, to a Scottish father and a Swedish mother. As such, she enjoyed the influences of Basil Fawlty and Pippi Longstocking, while eating haggis and pickled-herring sandwiches. Her debut book, My Name Is Elizabeth!, was originally a class assignment for Ted Staunton’s course in Writing Children’s Fiction at George Brown College. She bases a lot of her stories on her own childhood memories.#On the first day of school each year, every teacher would mispronounce Annika’s name as “Ann-eeka,” making her cringe inside and forever fret the first day of school. My Name Is Elizabeth! was inspired by every person who dislikes having his or her name shortened, lengthened, mispronounced or mangled in some way. Her second book, Me, Too!, was based on her own experiences with having two best friends as a child.#Annika has retained certain characteristics since childhood, which include being an excruciatingly slow reader and having laughing hysterics in the most inappropriate situations. She currently resides in Toronto with her husband, two kids, a puppy, a bunny rabbit and a cockatiel.
Awards
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My Name Is Elizabeth!
2012 - Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award, Canadian Library Association, Winner
2012 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, Starred Selection, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Winner
2012 - Marion Vannett Ridgway Award, Quill & Quire, Commended
2011 - Best Books of the Year, The New York Times, Winner
2011 - New York Times Notable Children's Books 2011, , Winner
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Me, Me, Me
2018 - Rainforest of Reading Award, OneWorld Schoolhouse Foundation, Commended
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Me, Too!
2015 - Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Winner
2015 - Readers' Choice Award, Rainforest of Reading, Winner
Picture Books
Me, Me, Me, 2017
Me, Too!, 2015
My Name Is Elizabeth!, 2011