John Donovan

John Donovan was an influential American author of young adult literature, most notably recognized for writing the groundbreaking 1969 novel "I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip" - the first young adult book to openly address homosexuality. The novel later earned recognition from Time magazine as one of "The 100 Best YA Books of All Time" in 2021. A graduate of the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia, Donovan began his career at the Library of Congress copyright office before joining St. Martin's Press. His writing career launched in 1961 with "The Little Orange Book," and he went on to publish several other works including "Wild in the World," "Good Old James," and "Family." Donovan served as executive director of the Children's Book Council from 1967 until his death in 1992, championing literature that addressed real-life issues facing young readers. Beyond his young adult novels, he also wrote for the theater, penning two short plays that were performed off-Broadway in 1964 under the title "Riverside Drive."

From available online reviews and ratings, readers appreciated Donovan's children's and young adult books in the 1960s-70s but recent discussions focus on controversy around his personal life, which has overshadowed his literary work. Readers liked: - Handling of difficult themes for young readers - Addressing social issues ahead of their time - Clear, straightforward writing style Common criticisms: - Characters lack depth - Plots feel dated to modern readers - Writing can be heavy-handed with morals Average ratings: Goodreads: Most titles rate 3.2-3.8/5 stars "I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth The Trip" (1969): 3.6/5 (425 ratings) "Wild in the World" (1971): 3.4/5 (112 ratings) "Remove Protective Coating Little By Little" (1973): 3.3/5 (89 ratings) Note: Limited recent reader reviews available online. Most books are out of print and reviews pre-date major online platforms.

I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip (1969) A thirteen-year-old boy navigates personal loss, family changes, and his emerging identity while forming a close friendship with a male classmate in New York City.

Wild in the World (1971) A coming-of-age story about a young man living alone in the wilderness of New England during the colonial period.

Good Old James (1972) Follows the story of a young boy adapting to life with his great-uncle James after his mother's hospitalization.

Family (1975) Chronicles the experiences of a teenager dealing with family dynamics and personal challenges in a working-class neighborhood.

The Little Orange Book (1961) A children's story exploring themes of friendship and self-discovery through simple narrative and imagery.

David Levithan His novels explore LGBTQ+ teen experiences and coming-of-age themes with similar groundbreaking frankness as Donovan's work. His book "Boy Meets Boy" was one of the first mainstream YA novels to feature an openly gay protagonist in a positive light.

Nancy Garden She wrote "Annie on My Mind," which became a landmark LGBTQ+ young adult novel in 1982. Her work tackles similar themes of self-discovery and acceptance that appear in Donovan's writing.

Robert Lipsyte His 1967 novel "The Contender" addresses real-world issues facing young people during the same era as Donovan's works. He shares Donovan's approach of tackling difficult subjects in YA literature without sanitizing the content.

Paul Zindel His novel "The Pigman" appeared in 1968, addressing serious themes in young adult literature during the same period as Donovan. Like Donovan, he wrote about teenagers dealing with complex emotional situations and social issues.

Judith Guest Her 1976 novel "Ordinary People" explores teenage mental health and family dynamics with the same unflinching realism as Donovan's work. She shares his focus on depicting authentic adolescent experiences and psychological depth.