The manuscript that became Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children originated from a suggestion to build a narrative around a personal collection of antique vernacular photographs. This project propelled Ransom Riggs from digital journalism and short-form internet filmmaking into a career as a primary author of young adult fantasy fiction.
Formative Years and Education
Born in 1979 in Maryland, Riggs spent his childhood on a two-hundred-year-old farm before moving to Florida. He attended the Pine View School for the Gifted. His higher education focused on literature at Kenyon College in Ohio, followed by advanced studies in film at the University of Southern California and the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
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Before his fiction career, Riggs worked in various media capacities, including as an editor, journalist, and screenwriter. He created short films for online distribution and contributed content to the website Mental Floss. His first book project, The Sherlock Holmes Handbook, was published in 2009 as a tie-in to the feature film release of that same year.
The Peculiar Universe
After approaching Quirk Books with his collection of vintage photographs, Riggs developed the Miss Peregrine series. The inaugural volume, released in 2011, achieved success on The New York Times Best Seller list and was adapted into a 2016 motion picture directed by Tim Burton. He subsequently expanded the franchise through 2021 with six novels, including Library of Souls and The Desolations of Devil's Acre, alongside graphic novel adaptations and companion volumes like Tales of the Peculiar.
Continued Literary Projects
Riggs has maintained an active publication schedule beyond his primary series. In 2012, HarperCollins released Talking Pictures, a work focusing on rescued historical photography. He has since commenced the Sunderworld series, with the first volume, The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry, released in 2024, followed by the second volume, The Unfortunate Responsibilities of Leopold Berry, in 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 1979, Maryland
- Education: Pine View School, Kenyon College, University of Southern California
- Notable Series: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
- Awards: 2015 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire
- Primary Occupations: Writer, screenwriter, filmmaker, photographer
- Current Series: Sunderworld
- Known Non-Fiction: The Sherlock Holmes Handbook
Questions readers ask
What inspired the Miss Peregrine series?
The narrative was guided by a collection of curious vernacular photographs that Riggs had assembled and shared with his publisher.
Where did Ransom Riggs complete his film studies?
He attended the University of Southern California and the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Achievements
- Notable work: Miss Peregrine's Home of Peculiar Children
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