“tiny: but there is the word, this word phil wrayson taught me once: weltschmerz. it's the depression you feel when the world as it is does not line up with the world as you think it should be. i live in a big goddamned weltzschermz ocean, you know? and so do you.”

American YA author and editor of the 21st century, David Levithan writes fiction that explores queer identity and adolescent experience with honesty and warmth. His novels, including *Boy Meets Boy* and *Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist*, blend contemporary realism with lyrical prose, offering nuanced portrayals of young people navigating love, belonging, and self-discovery.