I' m a layperson with a love of science who occasionally reads science magazines. My approach was from an author' s angle, spending months on research before waiting a single word for Pig Heart Boy.
So where did I get the idea? Whenever I attend a school event, that question is asked. The answer is simple. Back in the mid 1990s, I read a newspaper article written by a doctor who guessed that we would eventually have to turn to xenotransplantation (异种器官移植) as a possible solution to the lack of human organ donors. It left my mind filled with questions. What are the consequences? Do we really have the right to treat animals as mere organ sources for humans? So I headed to my nearest bookshop and bought all the books I could on heart transplants in particular.
I' ve found questions are one of the best places to start from when writing a novel. In my story Cameron, who needs a heart transplant, knows he is unlikely to see his next birthday unless he receives one, but he is a long way down the waiting list. When a genetically modified (GM) pig' s heart is offered by a pioneering doctor, Cameron decides to go for it—and his new heart completely changes his life in unexpected ways.
Now some people think that the subject matter is not suitable for children, criticizing the cruel and inhuman ways of xenotransplantation. I completely disagree. As a children' s author, it never ceases to amaze me how some adults underestimate what subject matter will interest and stimulate children. I wanted to write a story that provided no right or wrong answers, a story that would allow the reader to walk in Cameron' s shoes for a while and think about what decisions they would make and how they would react if they too were faced with his situation.
Fictional stories that explore new ideas when it comes to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects also have a part to play in enriching our children' s reading and learning. Various studies have shown that reading fiction enhances our children' s ability to grasp new concepts. Pig Heart Boy was my attempt to incorporate science possible into a believable, thought-provoking (令人深思的) story.
