David Levithan
Encyclopedia
David Levithan is an American
young-adult fiction editor and award-winning author. His first book, Boy Meets Boy
, was published in 2003. He has written numerous works featuring strong male gay characters, most notably Boy Meets Boy and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
.
At 19, Levithan received an internship at Scholastic Corporation where he began working on the The Baby-sitters Club
series. Seventeen years later, Levithan is still working for Scholastic as an editorial director. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a young-adult imprint of Scholastic Press focusing on new voices and new authors. PUSH publishes edgier material for young adults and is where Patricia McCormick got her start with 2002's Cut
.
In an interview with Barnes & Noble, Levithan claimed that he learned how to write books that were both funny and touching from Judith Viorst
's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
. After working as an editor for years, Levithan's first book Boy Meets Boy
was published in 2003. He continues to work as both a writer and editor saying, "I love editing just as much, if not more than writing". Levithan's first collaboration with author Rachel Cohn, 2006's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
was adapted for the big screen in 2008, and his novel, Love is the Higher Law, was published in August 2009 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
young-adult fiction editor and award-winning author. His first book, Boy Meets Boy
Boy Meets Boy (novel)
Boy Meets Boy is a young adult novel by David Levithan, published in 2003. It is set in a gay-friendly small town in America, and describes a few weeks in the lives of a group of high school students...
, was published in 2003. He has written numerous works featuring strong male gay characters, most notably Boy Meets Boy and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Peter Sollett and starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Written by Lorene Scafaria and based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the story tells of teenagers Nick and Norah , who meet when...
.
At 19, Levithan received an internship at Scholastic Corporation where he began working on the The Baby-sitters Club
The Baby-Sitters Club
The Baby-sitters Club is a series of novels written by Ann M. Martin and published by Scholastic between 1986 and 2000, that sold 17 milllon copies. Many of the novels were ghostwritten, including 43 by Peter Lerangis. However, Ann Martin wrote the first 35 novels.The series is about a group of...
series. Seventeen years later, Levithan is still working for Scholastic as an editorial director. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a young-adult imprint of Scholastic Press focusing on new voices and new authors. PUSH publishes edgier material for young adults and is where Patricia McCormick got her start with 2002's Cut
Cut (novel)
Cut is a 2000 novel by Patricia McCormick, targeted at young adults. It is considered a cult classic among teens. Fifteen-year-old Callie isn't speaking to anybody, not even to her therapist at Sea Pines , the residential treatment facility where her parents and doctor sent her after discovering...
.
In an interview with Barnes & Noble, Levithan claimed that he learned how to write books that were both funny and touching from Judith Viorst
Judith Viorst
Judith Viorst is an American author, newspaper journalist, and psychoanalysis researcher. She is perhaps best known for her children's literature, such as The Tenth Good Thing About Barney and the Alexander series of short picture books.In 1968, Viorst signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax...
's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, published in 1972, is an ALA Notable Children's Book written by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Ray Cruz. It has also won a George G. Stone Center Recognition of Merit, a Georgia Children's Book Award, and is a Reading Rainbow book...
. After working as an editor for years, Levithan's first book Boy Meets Boy
Boy Meets Boy (novel)
Boy Meets Boy is a young adult novel by David Levithan, published in 2003. It is set in a gay-friendly small town in America, and describes a few weeks in the lives of a group of high school students...
was published in 2003. He continues to work as both a writer and editor saying, "I love editing just as much, if not more than writing". Levithan's first collaboration with author Rachel Cohn, 2006's Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Peter Sollett and starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Written by Lorene Scafaria and based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the story tells of teenagers Nick and Norah , who meet when...
was adapted for the big screen in 2008, and his novel, Love is the Higher Law, was published in August 2009 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
.
Novels
- Boy Meets BoyBoy Meets Boy (novel)Boy Meets Boy is a young adult novel by David Levithan, published in 2003. It is set in a gay-friendly small town in America, and describes a few weeks in the lives of a group of high school students...
(2003) - The Realm of PossibilityThe Realm of Possibility (novel)The Realm of Possibility is a 2004 young-adult book by David Levithan. Presented as a "collection of interrelated monologues written in free verse," it tells the individual stories of twenty teenagers struggling with high school angst and adolescent life....
(2004) - Are We There Yet? (2005)
- Marly's Ghost: A Remix of Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' A Christmas CarolA Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
, illustrated by Brian SelznickBrian SelznickBrian Selznick is a Caldecott-winning American author and illustrator of children's books.-Life and career:Selznick was born in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey...
(2005) - Wide AwakeWide Awake (novel)Wide Awake is a speculative fiction novel by David Levithan set in the near future, after fictitious events such as The Greater Depression , the establishment of Worldwide Health Care, and The Reign of Fear, which included The War to End All Wars.- Duncan Weiss:Duncan is the gay Jewish protagonist...
(2006) - Love is the Higher Law (2009)
- Will Grayson, Will GraysonWill Grayson, Will GraysonWill Grayson, Will Grayson is a novel by John Green and David Levithan, published in April 2010 by Dutton Juvenile. The book's narrative is divided evenly between two boys named Will Grayson, with Green having written all of the chapters for one, and Levithan having written the chapters for the...
, co-written with John Green (2010) - The Lover's DictionaryThe Lover's DictionaryThe Lover's Dictionary is a 2011 novel by the American author David Levithan. It is his first novel for adults. This modern love story is told entirely through dictionary entries.-Plot:...
(2011)
With Rachel Cohn
- Nick and Norah's Infinite PlaylistNick and Norah's Infinite PlaylistNick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Peter Sollett and starring Michael Cera and Kat Dennings. Written by Lorene Scafaria and based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the story tells of teenagers Nick and Norah , who meet when...
(2006) - Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List (2007)
- Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (2010)
With David Ozanich and Chris Van Etten
- Likely Story (2008)
- All That Glitters (2008)
- Red Carpet Riot (2009)
Anthologies
- You Are Here, This is Now: The Best Young Writers and Artists in America: A Push Anthology, editor (2002)
- Friends: Stories about New Friends, Old Friends and Unexpectedly True Friends, editor with Ann M. Martin (2005)
- When We Are, What We See: A Push Anthology, editor (2005)
- The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Other Identities, editor with Billy MerrellBilly MerrellBilly Merrell is an American author and poet. He published his first book Talking in the Dark, a poetry memoir, with Scholastic in 2003. He also co-edited The Full Spectrum: A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities for Knopf Books for...
(2006) - 21 Proms, editor with Daniel Ehrenhaft (2007)
- We Are Quiet, We Are Loud: The best young writers and artists in America: a Push anthology, editor (2008)
- "How to Say Goodbye in Robot", editor with Natalie Standiford (2009)
Short stories
- "The Alumni Interview" (2004) Short storyShort storyA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
in anthologyAnthologyAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday (edited by Megan McCaffertyMegan McCaffertyMegan Fitzmorris McCafferty is an American author known for The New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series of young-adult novels published between 2001 and 2009...
) - "The Good Girls", essay in Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys, (edited by Melissa De la Cruz and Tom Dolby) (2007)
- How They Met, and Other Stories (2008)
- "A Word From the Nearly Distant Past" (2009), short story published in How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of IdentityHow Beautiful the OrdinaryHow Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity is an anthology of LGBTQ short stories for young adults edited by American author Michael Cart. It was first published in 2009...
- "Quiz Bowl Antichrist", short story published in Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd (2009)