Gail Carson Levine

Gail Carson Levine (born September 17, 1947 in New York, N.Y.) is an American author of young adult books. She credits her parents David and Sylvia (née Jacobson) for her creative streak. Her father owned a commercial art studio and her mother was a teacher who wrote plays for her students to perform. Her sister Rani teaches painting and has exhibited her works in the U.S. and Jamaica. Levine herself loved to draw and paint, but while taking a course on writing and illustrating for kids, she found that she had a penchant for writing instead. She says, "I had always been the hardest on myself when I drew and painted. I am not hard on myself when I write. I like what I write, so it is a much happier process."

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September 17 - 1947 - Young adult

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Her first published novel was Ella Enchanted, which garnered critical acclaim and earned her numerous awards, including a 1998 Newbery Honor. Ella Enchanted is a humorous retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale. In Levine's version, a fairy godmother gives Ella the "gift" of obedience. She must obey any command given her. The story follows Ella as she tries to find her self-absorbed fairy godmother and have the gift rescinded. The movie adaptation of the book keeps the same basic premise, but differs from the novel in several significant ways.

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Ella Enchanted - Newbery Honor - Cinderella

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Telling fairy tales with a twist is a hallmark of Levine's writing. Her Princess Tales series, set in the Kingdom of Biddle, are light-hearted and heart-warming adventures with smart, sassy heroes and heroines.

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