Caring About 'Reluctant Readers'

“Teens want to read something that isn't a lie; we adults wish we could put our heads under the blankets and hide from the scary story we're writing for our kids.” – Paolo Bacigalupi

 

Born in Western Colorado on Aug. 6, 1972, Bacigalupi grew up on a farm, studied writing and Chinese, traveled the globe, and started his writing career doing stories – both journalistic and creative – about Far Eastern cultures and countries.   But he is perhaps best known today as a science fiction and fantasy writer for Young Adults, a demographic among which he has built legions of followers. 

Winner of most of the major Sci-Fi prizes, including Hugo, Nebula and Michael L. Printz Awards, he also has been nominated for a National Book Award while continuing to be a regular contributor to magazines, journals and newspapers.   “I used to work for a newspaper that covered local resource issues, and my coworkers and friends were journalists,” he said.  Fact-based, journalistic style permeates his work, especially in his award-winning short story collection Pump Six and Other Stories,       and in his breakout novel The Windup Girl, set in 23^rd Century Thailand.  A great “What If?” tale, the book made almost every “Best Novel” and “Best Sci-Fi” list.   

Bacigalupi said he’s glad young people are drawn to his works.   “As a writer, you should care about reluctant readers,” he said.   “You want these kids to feel like books are amazing and cool and that they're an escape.”

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