David Levithan

In light of our recent presentations, I thought it would be interesting to look at David Levithan as a modern young adult author. I found this quick video where he answers a few questions about himself and one of his upcoming books. I think it interesting because from the video we can tell Levithan’s style/themes are fairly consistent throughout his texts, including an overarching look at gender and sexuality. Further, it is notable that Levithan’s influences include modern examples of young adult or even tween literature. Modern YA authors represent one of the first generations to actually grow up reading YA lit, and YA lit past the initial books of the cannon. Further more, Levithan’s work with John Green parallels where he might land  within the cannon. Levithan is probably less well known, but is similar in the types of novels, themes, and how his books are published specifically for teens.

I think one of the question Levithan answers, about where he grew up, is relevant to a lot of recent discussion we have had in class. Levithan says he didn’t really experience the mobility characters in his book do. This got me thinking about which YA authors are supposed to write what. Levithan is gay, as I determined from another online interview, but did he really live in the Utopian-esque all accepting gay community described in his novel? In New Jersey? I think it is questionable.especially considering the time when he would have been growing up and the incluence the 80’s has in the book. It is so interesting that someone with the knowledge and experience of a queer teen in our society would write a book with such unrealistic depictions of how that life really is. Did Levithan write in hopes teenhood would one day be like his book , or because he actually grew up or based this novel on real life?