David Levithan and Two Boys Kissing: The Fable Reading Guide
Hayley Dennings
Join the free Banned Books Book Club on Fable!
Who is David Levithan?
David Levithan is an American young adult fiction author and editor. Many of his works feature strong gay characters, most popularly "Boy Meets Boy" and "Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List." David Levithan is the most celebrated author in the young adult Lambda Literary Award space. Six of his books have won or been finalists for the Lambda Literary Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature.What is "Two Boys Kissing" About?
"Two Boys Kissing" is a novel inspired by a real story. It follows two 17-year-olds, Harry and Craig, who are determined to set a new Guinness World Record by partaking in a 32-hour kissing marathon. A chorus of gay men who lost their lives to AIDS narrates the story, watching our modern-day lives.Why Was "Two Boys Kissing" Banned?
"Two Boys Kissing" has been on the American Library Association's Top 10 List of Challenged Books three times (2015, 2016, 2018). People have tried to ban the book because of homosexual and sexually-explicit content and because the book condones public displays of affection.“Efforts like these are trying to erase LBGTQIA+ people, our voices, our history, our existence, and the words used to describe us positively,” said Levithan in an interview with Fable. The beloved author will lead the inaugural discussion in the Authors Guild Banned Books Club, helping readers understand the story and find their own meaning in the book. Along the way, he’ll share links to music, videos, art, and other resources, highlighting ways readers can help fight book banning in their communities.Other David Levithan Books on Fable
Once you read Two Boys Kissing with the Authors Guild Banned Books Club, you can find many other Levithan books on Fable. type: embedded-entry-inline id: 3GnSoQFoPfKBZViY9FdQZCWhat Inspired David Levithan to Write "Every Day"?
In an interview with Entertainment Focus, David Levithan explains how he came up with the idea for "Every Day":"I was just curious about the notion of who you would be if you weren’t defined by your body, and just playing around with that. I had the premise before I really understood the full implications of what that would be. And also I was really, really interested in telling a love story where somebody did change every day, to see if love could indeed conquer that."
Will There Be a "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" Movie?
Currently, no. "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" has not been optioned for film yet.John Green explained in a post:"To quote a real live movie producer who really said this about Will Grayson, Will Grayson, 'The only thing Hollywood hates more than smart teenagers is smart, gay teenagers.' I hope Hollywood will prove this movie producer wrong someday."
Powerful David Levithan Quotes:
“Love is so painful, how could you ever wish it on anybody? And love is so essential, how could you ever stand in its way?” ― David Levithan
“Ignorance is not bliss. Bliss is knowing the full meaning of what you have been given.” ― David Levithan
“There are all these moments you don't think you will survive. And then you survive.” ― David Levithan
“He has no idea how beautiful the ordinary becomes once it disappears.” ― David Levithan
“Freedom is also about what you will allow yourself to do.” ― David Levithan
“There is always something new to learn about the person you love.” ― David Levithan
“There is no reason that we should ever be ashamed of our bodies or ashamed of our love.” ― David Levithan
“There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living.” ― David Levithan
“The world is full of people who think different is synonymous with wrong.” ― David Levithan
“It's one of the secrets of strength: We're so much more likely to find it in the service of others than in service to ourselves.” ― David Levithan
Two Boys Kissing Reviews
"I thoroughly enjoyed each characters’ story, however painful and difficult, and became invested in their future – I wanted to find out where they ended up. I also thought it was interesting to see the reactions from other people – the secondary characters – from those who were supportive and those not so much. I know that some people might find Two Boys Kissing preachy, but it’s something that I think people ought to be preachy about, rather than ignoring it or accepting society as it is, and accepting that other people might not feel the same way. It isn’t acceptable."-- Pretty Books
"Two Boys Kissing is an important book. It is so extremely powerful and leaves you thinking long, long after you have finished reading it. With the unique writing concept, it is a true challenge to the traditional art form of writing. I imagine that this is going to be the book that children will read in school instead of Lord of the Flies and Of Mice and Men in the future; that's how genre defining and influential this story is."-- The Guardian
"Every one of us in the LGBT community should be thankful for those who came before us and we have to be even greater. We have to make it better for our community for those who will come after us! Five out of five stars, go read it!"-- MakeTodayAmazing
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Hayley Dennings