RIP William Sleator

He was one of the very few "YA" authors whose books I liked as a middle-schooler.  Also some of the first sci-fi and fantasy I read.  Interstellar Pig was assigned by an English teacher in 7th grade.  I read several others (Blackbriar, I sort of remember).  The one that made the most impact on me, though, was The Beasties, because of the whole pro-"monsters" angle.  I should re-read it, in fact.

Apparently he died in Thailand.