Introduction
Mari Beatrice "Bea" Uusma, previously Uusma Schyffert (born 20 March 1966 in Lidingö, Sweden), is a Swedish author, illustrator and medical doctor.
Biography
Uusma was born and raised in Lidingö in Stockholm County. In 1999, she wrote and illustrated a children's book about the American astronaut Michael Collins titled The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins. In the mid-1990s she became interested in S. A. Andrée's Arctic Balloon Expedition of 1897 and tried to find out what happened to the expedition members. This research resulted in the book The Expedition, published in English by Head of Zeus in 2014, and for which she was awarded The August Prize in 2013.
After working as an illustrator for several years, Uusma started studying medicine and is now working as a medical doctor in Stockholm. She says her medical knowledge was useful in her research for The Expedition.
Uusma was awarded the August Prize, a Swedish literary award, for non-fiction for The Expedition in 2013.
She was married to Swedish comedian Henrik Schyffert between 1996 and 2012. They have two children. Uusma is the sister of Swedish actress Martina Haag.
English bibliography
- Uusma Schyffert, Bea (2003). The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811840071.
- Uusma, Bea; Broomé, Agnes (2014). The expedition: a love story : solving the mystery of a Polar tragedy. London: Head of Zeus. ISBN 978-1-78185-962-9. SELIBR 17063627.
- Uusma, Bea (2014). The expedition: the forgotten story of a polar tragedy. Head of Zeus. SELIBR 17213401.
Awards
- 2002: Swedish Book Art Award
- 2002: International Book Art Competition award
- 2003: Best Books of 2003 School Library Journal
- 2004: CCCB Choices selection
- 2004: American Library Association Notable Books for Children designation
- 2004: American Library Association Batchelder Honor Book designation
- 2004: American Library Association Nonfiction Honor Book designation
- 2006: Louisiana Young Readers' Choice nominee
- 2013: August Prize