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IT’S BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE SINCE A US AUTHOR CHANGED THE WAY YOUTH FICTION SAW LGBT KIDS — AND IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU ALL KNEW HIS NAME
Juno Dawson@junodawson
DAVID LEVITHAN
IN THE AMERICAN BOOKSHOP chain, Barnes & Noble, there are whole tables dedicated to the undisputed master of LGBT teen fiction, David Levithan. In the UK, he may not have the name recognition of Judy Blume, John Green or JK Rowling, but he does have a hardcore fanbase of queer young adult readers.
It’s more than a decade since Levithan’s debut novel, Boy Meets Boy, reached the UK. A refreshing alternative to emo comingout stories where the young gay protagonist often topped himself, Levithan’s tale explores a utopian high school where no one bats an eyelid at the identities of the diverse cast.