| Occupation | Author |
|---|---|
| Website | stefanbachmann.com |
| Awards | Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2012, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Finalist 2022 |
| Genre | |
| Language | English, German |
| Education | Zurich University of the Arts |
| Birth date | June 7, 1993 (age 33) |
| Birth place | Colorado, U.S. |
Stefan Bachmann is a Swiss–American author of children's literature, non-fiction, and short stories, as well as a composer and artist. He is best known for his children's novels, including his debut, The Peculiar, a gothic alternate history novel published by HarperCollins.[1]
Life and career
Bachmann was born in Colorado in the United States, and grew up in Zürich, Switzerland. At age 11 he began studying classical music at the Zürich Conservatory, where he studied piano under the tutelage of Carl Rütti.[2] As a teenager, he competed in musical competitions, winning national awards for his compositions and performances.[3][4] He later studied theory and composition at the Zürich University of the Arts, and lived in Berlin, Prague, and Tokyo.[5]
After university, he completed his obligatory military service, undergoing basic training in Bülach, before working as an officer's aid in various locations across Switzerland.[6]
As of 2022, he serves as a board member and co-president of Autillus, the Swiss Association of Children's Authors and Illustrators.[7] He currently teaches creative writing at the Junges Literaturlabor in Zürich.[8]
Together with Jyoti Guptara, he is the co-founder of "Storytelling Schweiz", a national literacy and communication outreach program and competition that launched in 2023.[9] As of 2023, he also serves as a member of the board of the Leopold Bachmann Foundation.[10]
Writing
Bachmann's debut novel, The Peculiar, was bought by HarperCollins in a bidding war when he was eighteen years old.[11] It was followed by a sequel, The Whatnot. Further books include the short story collection The Cabinet of Curiosities: 36 Tales Brief and Sinister, young adult novel A Drop of Night, and children's fantasy Cinders & Sparrows, all published by HarperCollins in the United States.[12]
Reception
His books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and many others.[13][14][15] His writing has been noted for its vivid use of language, as well as often dark subject matter.[16][17] In 2012, he was chosen as one of Huffington Post's "18 Under 18" alongside Malala Yousafzai and Tavi Gavinson.[18] In 2017, he was chosen for the Aarhus 39, a selection of the best writers under the age of 40 in Europe, presented at the International Hay Festival in Denmark. His writing has been published in fifteen countries.[19]
Awards
| Work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Peculiar | Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year | Selection | [20] |
| New York Times Editor's Choice | Selection | [21] | |
| Cybils Award | Nominee | [22] | |
| Publishers Weekly Flying Start | Selection | [23] | |
| Top Ten – IndieBound Indie Next List | Selection | [24] | |
| ABA Best New Voices | Selection | [25] | |
| The Cabinet of Curiosities: 36 Tales Brief and Sinister | Junior Library Guild selection | Selection | [26] |
| Bank Street Best Books of the Year | Selection | [27] | |
| New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing | Selection | [28] | |
| Cinders and Sparrows | Junior Library Guild selection | Selection | [29] |
| Bank Street Best Books of the Year | Selection | [30] | |
| Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award | Nominee | [31] | |
| Rattenfänger-Literaturpreis | Nominee | [32] | |
| IndieBound Indie Next Pick | Selection | [33] |
Bibliography
Children's books
- The Peculiar (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2012)
- The Whatnot (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2013)
- Cinders and Sparrows (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2020)
Young adult
- A Drop of Night (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2016)
- Release the Wolves (forthcoming from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2024)
Nonfiction
- The Secret Life of Hidden Places (Workman, 2024), in collaboration with April Genevieve Tucholke
Anthologies
- The Cabinet of Curiosities: 36 Tales Brief & Sinister (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2014) — in collaboration with Claire Legrand, Katherine Catmull, and Emma Trevayne; illustrated by Alexander Jansson
- Slasher Girls & Monster Boys (Dial, 2015) — short story collection edited by April Genevieve Tucholke, with stories by Bachmann, Marie Lu, Leigh Bradugo, Jay Kristoff, etc.
- Quest: Stories of Journeys from Around Europe (Alma Books, 2017) — edited by Daniel Hahn, with stories by Bachmann, Katherine Rundell, Maria Turtschaninoff, etc.
- The Dagon Collection (PS Publishing, 2024) — edited by Nate Pedersen, with entries by Bachmann, Jesse Bullington, Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, etc.
References
- ^ Carpenter, Susan (September 23, 2012). "Not Just For Kids: 'The Peculiar' by Stefan Bachmann is a fantastical tale". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ Levy |, Michael. "Fall 2012 Flying Starts: Stefan Bachmann". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Literatur – "Ich habe erst mit 12 Jahren begonnen, seriös zu schreiben"" (in German). Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF). November 29, 2012. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ ch-cultura. "Schweizerischer Jugendmusikwettbewerb" (in German). www.ch-cultura.ch. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Stefan Bachmann". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Updates – Writing, Military, a Tiny Story + Music Project". Stefan Bachmann | Bestselling Author of the Whimsical, Dark, and Strange. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "About us - Autillus". 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
- ^ "Junges Literaturlabor JULL ǀ AutorInnen" (in German). jungesliteraturlabor. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
- ^ "Über uns" (in de-CH). Storytelling Schweiz. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
- ^ "Über uns". lb-foundation.ch. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
- ^ "Stefan Bachmann reaps full-grown success". Hindustan Times. January 22, 2013. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Biography Stefan Bachmann, HarperCollins"
- ^ Edinger, Monica (September 14, 2012). "Night and Fog". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ CINDERS & SPARROWS | Kirkus Reviews
- ^ "The Whatnot by Stefan Bachmann". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^ "The Whatnot by Stefan Bachmann". www.publishersweekly.com. 2023-08-11. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "Book Review: The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann". Gulf Stream Magazine. 2013-04-28. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "HuffPost Teen's '18 Under 18' Of 2012! (PHOTOS)". HuffPost. December 31, 2012. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
- ^ ""Stefan Bachmann – About"". stefanbachmann.com. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^ "Best Books of 2012 | Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Editors' Choice". The New York Times. September 21, 2012. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "2012 Cybils Finalists". Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ Levy |, Michael. "Fall 2012 Flying Starts: Stefan Bachmann". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Indie Next List | IndieBound.org". www.indiebound.org. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "2012 Fall New Voices Picks Announced". the American Booksellers Association. August 9, 2012. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Junior Library Guild : The Cabinet of Curiosities: 36 Tales Brief & Sinister by Stefan Bachmann". www.juniorlibraryguild.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Bank Street College of Education". www.bankstreet.edu. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^ "NYPL Recommends: 100 Best Children's Books of 2014". nypl.org. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Junior Library Guild : Cinders & Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann". www.juniorlibraryguild.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "Bank Street Best Books 2021". Bank Street College of Education. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
- ^ "Vermont Golden Dome Book Award | Department of Libraries". libraries.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "2024: Frida Nilsson - Stadtportal der Rattenfängerstadt Hameln". www.hameln.de. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "Indie Next List | IndieBound.org". www.indiebound.org. Retrieved 2022-07-31.