Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

NAOMI AND ELY ARE BEST FRIENDS. Naomi loves and is in love with Ely, and Ely loves Naomi, but prefers to be in love with boys. So they create their No Kiss List of people neither of them is allowed to kiss. And this works fine - until Bruce. Bruce is Naomi's boyfriend, so there's no reason to put him on the List. But Ely kissed Bruce even though he is boring. The result: a rift of universal proportions and the potential end of Naomi and Ely: the institution. Can these best friends come back together again?

In the fall of 2003, David Levithan took some time out to answer some of our questions about his favorite books, authors and interests.

What was the book that most influenced your life or your career as a writer -- and why? Probably everything I write has some root in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. It was my absolutely favorite as a kid, and it taught me that writing can be both funny and touching at the same time, and that character, perspective, and word choice are just as important as plot.

What are your ten favorite books, and what makes them special to you? Impossible question. I'll just recommend a few books here that I want all of my friends to read, whether or not they're my absolute favorites.