19 Love Songs

Starred review from November 25, 2019
Levithan (Someday) celebrates different aspects of love through song, verse, graphic art, and stories in this collection of “tracks,” many previously published in other anthologies, written with tenderness and humor. Most selections focus on gay male relationships, beginning with a story about a high school student’s “unarticulated crush” on a quiz bowl teammate and progressing on to an examination of a couple’s ups and downs through the changing seasons of one year. “Day 2934” offers a child’s perspective of his mother’s affection during one special Valentine’s Day. “We” captures the pervading atmosphere of warmth and kinship (“You are yourself and something much larger than yourself, all at once”) during a massive, peaceful protest march. Levithan’s voice resounds strongly throughout, communicating a passion for kindness, individuality, and storytelling, and frequently encapsulating the mood and profundity of single moments. Threads connect the diverse protagonists (some of whom have appeared in previous works): many characters are struggling to find their identity, and most possess a strong desire to feel understood and wanted in this optimistic reminder of the transforming power of love. Ages 14–up.

This crowd-pleasing short story collection from the prolific Levithan focuses on love in all its variety, including representation from several points on the LGBTQIA spectrum and topics ranging from quiz bowl to Taylor Swift fan fiction. Longtime fans will relish hearing from familiar characters, such as Boy Meets Boy's Infinite Darlene, in a story titled "The Quarterback and the Cheerleader," narrated by Elle Cohen, who nails the playful banter and soft hope of a first date. Shorter but no less sweet is Rebecca Lowman's intimate, emotive performance of a love story in verse. It takes seven narrators to deliver the angst and excitement of the members of a queer youth choir. Most memorable, however, may be the autobiographical works narrated by Levithan himself, especially the concluding track about the profound effects of sharing one's words with others. R.A.H. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine