My best friend and I also read and reread Ray Bradbury’s Collected Stories. I also loved Judy Blume’s Foreverand the classics – the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen – as well as Shirley Jackson, my favourite writer after my mom. JN: I loved Lois Duncan, especially Daughters of Eve and Killing Mr. 'All of Judy Blume's books changed my life's path.'ĭL: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. What was your favourite book when you were a teenager? I remember reading it for the first time and realizing that books could take you anywhere. What was the first book you remember loving as a child?ĭL: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Dayby Judith Viorst. She taught me to find the story in everything, to never limit myself or my imagination, and to always believe in my work. Anderson, for writing so widely and so well. Which writer do you most admire and why?ĭavid Levithan: M. Below we learn about their shared love for Judy Blume, avoiding actress Emma Thompson and an embarrassing incident with a Powerpuff Girl keyring. To mark the release of their new book, we got in touch to ask Levithan and Niven our 21 questions on life and literature. Amid lockdown, they sent emails back and forth to each other – expanding and evolving the story as they went, throwing in bombshells or twists every now and then to change the course of the narrative. Like the structure of the book itself, Jennifer and David wrote Take Me With You When You Go over email. And all she’s left behind is an email address. That is until Ezra wakes up one day to find Bea is gone. But they have always had each other to lean on when they need to. The story centres around siblings Ezra and Bea who have a troubled home life due to an abusive stepfather and neglectful mother.

Both are writing virtuosos within the world of YA with books including All the Bright Places, Breathless, Every Day, and Boy Meets Boy under their belts, and their new tale Take Me With You When You Go is just as stirring and immersive.

We were very excited to hear about the collaboration between authors David Levithan and Jennifer Niven.

Jennifer niven author