PAUL ZINDEL

Pioneer in Young Adult Literature

May 15, 1936 – March 27, 2003

On Former Girls

"My prom date was to me the most beautiful girl in the school. I loved her very much but she married a dynamic gas station attendant."

“I wish I could say she [Jennifer] grew up, married a prince, and escaped Travis to live happily ever after in a chic condo in Malibu. But she didn’t/ She ended up marrying a Travis alcoholic bricklayer, and she lived for many years in the same house she grew up in, until her husnband made her burn it down so they could collect the insurance money” (The Pigman and Me 160)

On The Pigman

Does every teenager need a pigman? Yes, Yes, Yes. Kids need a special man or woman

in their lives who can teach them all the qualities of friendship, kindness, courage, and help them develop self-confidence.

On a Change of Pace

TL: Your recent books (Loch, Reef of death, Raptor, The doom stone) focus on teens facing incredible danger in the form of prehistoric life forms. How did the transition from misfit to monster occur?

PZ: I got tired of teenagers having problems. I felt the problems had all been written about for too long, and that kids were fed up with that posture. It also became somewhat disingenuous for adults to be writing about teenage problems when it's clear how mad and bizarre and foolish and dangerous and stupefying adult life has become. I wrote a one act play called "Every 17 minutes the crowd goes crazy." It's about the ultimate abandonment of parental interest by a mother and father who flee their five children to spend the rest of their selfish, frightened lives going to trotter race tracks and Native American Casinos. I wish it were a joke.

On Writing for Teens

I felt I could do more for teenagers by writing for them [than by teaching]. I started reading some young adult books, and what I saw in most of them had no connection to the teenagers I knew. I thought I knew what kids would want in a book, so I made a list and followed it. I try to show teens they aren't alone. I believe I must convince my readers that I am on their side; I know it's a continuous battle to get through the years between twelve and twenty — an abrasive time. And so I write always from their own point of view.

On the Writing Process

My favorite part is the initial inspiration — when I first glimpse what the fictional animal might be. It's the moment when I read a headline that boggles my mind. Or, when a kid tells me about something startling that happened to him or her. Or when I find myself in the middle of a breathtaking adventure or romance.

On Dual Voices

. . . I think boys like to read about a male protagonist and I think girls like to read stories in which a young girl is the main character. I wanted as large an audience as possible for my book. So, I chose to use these dual protagonists to tell my story. And, it's worked outthat both boys and girls enjoy the book . . . I believe, without knowing it, I was psychologically equipped to record both the male and female point of view for The Pigman.

On Dual Voices

I knew if I were to write just [from the perspective of] the boy, the book might be darker and might be lopsided and not a true reflection of reality. My putting in the girl gave another view – a psychological view to give balance so that the world was not as dark as John painted it. I think Lorraine left the possibilities open and perhaps examined more. (SLJ)

Teen Appeal

Paul Zindel’s stories are full fear, self-loathing, and unconditional friendship (SLJ)