Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is a translator and author of juvenile fiction. She was born and raised in Tampere, the second largest city in Finland. At the age of nine she knew that she wanted to be a writer. The first version of her first published book she wrote when she was 18. She has written several novels and one collection of short prose for young readers, and has translated adult fiction, childrens books, and plays. She writes book reviews for the newspapers Helsingin Sanomat and Hämeen Sanomat and the weekly Suomen Kuvalehti. Salla was an editor and associate editor at a literary magazine for young people, LUKUfiilis, in 2009-2013. She has also worked as one of the scriptwriters for the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLEs series Uusi Päivä (New Day) since 2009.

In January 2013 Salla Simukka was awarded with the Topelius Prizefor her novels Without a Trace andElsewhere in recognition of the best Finnish youth novel. Established in 1946, the Topelius Prize is Finlands oldest prize in recognition of the best Finnish book for children and young people. In December of 2013 she was given the Finland Prize, awarded in recognition of a significant career in arts, an exceptional artistic achievement, or a promising breakthrough.