Bluefish

Pat Schmatz (b. 1960) is an American, non-binary author of young adult and middle grade novels. They grew up in small-town Wisconsin, which is where Bluefish takes place. Although they primarily work as a writer, they’ve also had numerous other jobs, including a library assistant, which is Velveeta’s after-school job in Bluefish.

Pat Schmatz decided to become a writer of books for young readers after reading S. E. Hinton’s popular novel The Outsiders in sixth grade. Like The Outsiders, Pat Schmatz’s novels address difficult, real-life issues that teenagers deal with, such as bullying, anti-gay bias, anti-trans bias, domestic abuse, loss of loved ones, grief, isolation, academic struggles, learning differences, financial struggles, classism, negotiating friendships, fighting/violence, peer pressure, dealing with rumors and gossip, being misunderstood by teachers, substance abuse on the part of parents or family members, and tumultuous relationships between adolescents and their parents or guardians. Pat Schmatz writes realistic fiction, and the issues addressed in their novels reflect those faced by many real-life teenagers. Schmatz’s novels also highlight positive themes, such as the power of friendship, the importance of kindness, the joy of reading, and how being accepted can transform a person’s self-concept.

Besides Bluefish (2011), Pat Schmatz’s other novels include Mrs.