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 23rd 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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