Elizabeth Levy (1942–) Biography

Born 1942, in Buffalo, NY; Education: Brown University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1964; Columbia University, M.A.T., 1968. Hobbies and other interests: Marathons, bike tours, baseball.

Addresses

Agent—Amy Berkower, Writers House, 21 W. 26th St., New York, NY 10010.

Career

Writer, 1971–. American Broadcasting Co., New York, NY, editor and researcher in news department, 1964–66; Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY, assistant editor, 1967–69; New York Public Library, New York, NY, writer in public relations, 1969; JPM Associates (urban affairs consultants), New York, NY, staff writer, 1970–71.

Member

Authors Guild, Authors League of America, Mystery Writers of America, PEN.

Elizabeth Levy

Honors Awards

Outstanding Book of the Year, New York Times, 1977, for Struggle and Lose, Struggle and Win: The United Mine Workers; Outstanding Science Book for Children, National Science Teachers Association, 1977, for Before You Were Three; Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Arkansas Department of Education, 1995, for Keep Ms. Sugarman in the Fourth Grade; named among 100 Best Books of 1997, New York Public Library, and Maryland State Award, and Georgia Children's Book Award, both 2000–01, all for My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian; American Booksellers Association (ABA) Pick of the Lists, 2000, for Seventh-Grade Tango.

Writings

NONFICTION

The People Lobby: The SST Story, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1973.

Lawters for the People, Knopf (New York, NY), 1974.

By-Lines: Profiles in Investigative Journalism, Four Winds Press (New York, NY), 1975.

(With cousin, Robie H. Harris) Before You Were Three: How You Began to Walk, Talk, Explore, and Have Feelings, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1977.

(With Mara Miller) Doctors for the People: Profiles of Six Who Serve, Knopf (New York, NY), 1977.

(With Tad Richards) Struggle and Lose, Struggle and Win: The United Mineworkers Story, Four Winds Press (New York, NY), 1977.

(With Earl Hammond and Liz Hammond) Our Animal Kingdom, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1977.

If You Lived When They Signed the Constitution, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1987.

Are We There Yet?: Europeans Meet the Americans, illustrated by Mike Dietz, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

Awesome Ancient Ancestors, illustrated by Daniel McFeeley, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

Who Are You Calling a Woolly Mammoth?: Prehistoric America, illustrated by Daniel McFeeley, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

Cranky Colonials: Pilgrims, Puritans, Even Pirates, illustrated by Daniel McFeeley, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.

Westward, Ha-ha!: 1850–1850, illustrated by Daniel McFeeley, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.

Revolting Revolutionaries: 1750s–1790s, illustrated by Daniel McFeeley, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.

FICTION; FOR CHILDREN

Nice Little Girls, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1974.

Lizzie Lies a Lot (also see below), Dell (New York, NY), 1976.

The Tryouts, Four Winds Press (New York, NY), 1979.

Running out of Time, Knopf (New York, NY), 1980.

Running out of Magic with Houdini, Knopf (New York, NY), 1981.

The Shadow Nose, Morrow (New York, NY), 1983.

The Computer That Said Steal Me, Four Winds Press (New York, NY), 1983.

Cold as Ice, Morrow (New York, NY), 1988.

Keep Ms. Sugarman in the Fourth Grade, Harper (New York, NY), 1992.

Cleo and the Coyote, illustrated by Diana Bryer, Harper (New York, NY), 1996.

My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian, Harper (New York, NY), 1997.

Third-Grade Bullies, illustrated by Tim Barnes, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1998.

Seventh-Grade Tango, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2000.

Big Trouble in Little Twinsville, illustrated by Mark Elliott, Harper (New York, NY), 2001.

Take Two, They're Small (sequel to Big Trouble in Little Twinsville), illustrated by Mark Elliott, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

YOUNG-ADULT FICTION

Come out Smiling, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.

Double Standard, Avon (New York, NY), 1984.

The Dani Trap, Morrow (New York, NY), 1984.

Night of Nights, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1984.

All Shook Up, Scholastic (New York, NY) 1986.

Cheater, Cheater, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.

The Drowned, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Tackling Dad, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

"SOMETHING QUEER" MYSTERY SERIES

Something Queer Is Going On, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1973.

Something Queer at the Ballpark, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1975.

Something Queer at the Library, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1977.

Something Queer on Vacation, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1980.

Something Queer at the Haunted School, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1982.

Something Queer at the Lemonade Stand, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1982.

Something Queer in Rock 'n' Roll, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1987.

Something Queer at the Birthday Party, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1990.

Something Queer in Outer Space, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1993.

Something Queer in the Cafeteria, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1994.

Something Queer at the Scary Movie, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1995.

Something Queer in the Wild West, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1997.

"BAMFORD BROTHERS" HORROR NOVELS; FOR CHILDREN

Frankenstein Moved in on the Fourth Floor, Harper (New York, NY), 1979.

Dracula Is a Pain in the Neck, Harper (New York, NY), 1983.

Gorgonzola Zombies in the Park, illustrated by George Ulrich, Harper (New York, NY), 1993.

Wolfman Sam, illustrated by Bill Basso, Harper (New York, NY), 1996.

Night of the Living Gerbil, illustrated by Bill Basso, Harper (New York, NY), 2001.

Vampire State Building, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport, Harper (New York, NY), 2002.

"JODY AND JAKE MYSTERY" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

The Case of the Frightened Rock Star, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1980.

The Case of the Counterfeit Race Horse, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1980.

The Case of the Fired-up Gang, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1981.

The Case of the Wild River Ride, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1981.

"FAT ALBERT AND THE COSBY KIDS" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

The Shuttered Window, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

Mister Big Time, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

Take Two, They're Small, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

Spare the Rod, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

Mom or Pop, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

The Runt, Dell (New York, NY), 1981.

"MAGIC MYSTERIES" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

The Case of the Gobbling Squash, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1988.

The Case of the Mind-Reading Mommies, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1989.

The Case of the Tattletale Heart, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1990.

The Case of the Dummy with Cold Eyes, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1991.

"GYMNASTS" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

The Beginners, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1988.

First Meet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1988.

Nobody's Perfect, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1988.

The Winner, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.

The Trouble with Elizabeth, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.

Bad Break, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.

Tumbling Ghosts, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.

Captain of the Team, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1989.

Crush on the Coach, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

Boys in the Gym, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

Mystery at the Meet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

Out of Control, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

First Date, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

World-Class Gymnast, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1990.

Nasty Competition, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.

Fear of Falling, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.

The New Coach, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.

Tough at the Top, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.

The Gymnast Gift, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.

Go for the Gold, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.

"BRIAN AND PEA BRAIN" MYSTERY SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

School Spirit Sabotage, illustrated by George Ulrich, Harper (New York, NY), 1994.

Rude Rowdy Rumors, illustrated by George Ulrich, Harper (New York, NY), 1994.

A Mammoth Mix-Up, illustrated by George Ulrich, Harper (New York, NY), 1995.

"INVISIBLE INC." MYSTERY SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

The Schoolyard Mystery, illustrated by Denise Brunkus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.

The Mystery of the Missing Dog, illustrated by Denise Brunkus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.

The Snack Attack Mystery, illustrated by Denise Brunkus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.

The Creepy Computer Mystery, illustrated by Denise Brunkus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.

The Karate Class Mystery, illustrated by Denise Brunkus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.

Parents' Night Fright, illustrated by Denise Brunkus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

"FLETCHER MYSTERIES"; FOR CHILDREN

A Hare-Raising Tail, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2002.

The Mystery of Too Many Elvises, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2003.

The Mixed-Up Mask Mystery, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2003.

The Cool Ghoul Mystery, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2003.

PLAYS

(Coauthor) Croon (one-act), produced in New York, NY, 1976.

(Coauthor) Never Waste a Virgin (two-act), produced in New York, NY, 1977.

Lizzie Lies a Lot (based on her novel of the same title), produced by the Cutting Edge, 1978.

OTHER

Marco Polo: The Historic Adventure Based on the Television Spectacular, Random House (New York, NY), 1982.

Father Murphy's First Miracle (based on the television series Father Murphy), Random House (New York, NY), 1983.

Return of the Jedi (based on the film of the same title), Random House (New York, NY), 1983.

The Bride (based on the film of the same title), Random House (New York, NY), 1985.

Sidelights

From children's series fiction, chapter books, and picture books to young-adult novels and nonfiction, Elizabeth Levy's works encompass a wide range of reading levels and genres. As Levy once told SATA, "As a child I read all the time and omnivorously. My mother recalls coming into my room when I was twelve years old and finding Winnie-the-Pooh, War and Peace, Peyton Place, and a "Nancy Drew" mystery scattered on my bed. My eclectic reading habits haven't changed much since then, which accounts in part for the variety of books I write." On her home page, Levy commented: "Friendship and laughing are a big part of my life and they're in all my books, whether they're novels or history."

One of Levy's first works of fiction for younger readers, Lizzie Lies a Lot, deals with the issue of honesty as a young girl realizes that her lies threaten a friendship. Lizzie lies to her parents to make them think she is a good dancer, and to her friend Sara to entertain her. Eventually tiring of telling lies, Lizzie realizes that she must change. Lizzie Lies a Lot "is the most autobiographical of my books," Levy once admitted to SATA. "I did lie a lot as a child, and I can distinctly remember what it felt like when I knew I was lying and no one else did. Like Lizzie in my novel, I told my mother I had been asked to perform in a school assembly and I kept up that lie for months.

"Oddly enough, my first published work was a lie. When I was in third grade, a newspaper published my poem 'When I Grow up I Want to Be a Nurse All Dressed in White.' I didn't want to be a nurse. If I wanted to be anything, I wanted to be a writer, but the idea of being a writer seemed a fantasy. I grew up without any concrete ambitions, but with an entire card catalog of fantasies."

Although Levy draws upon her childhood for many of her plots, she also bases her books on what interests her today. "When I write for children," she once told SATA, "I am really writing about things that seem funny or interesting to me now. I don't think writing a good book for children is very different from writing one for teenagers or adults. The emotions we have as children are in many ways as complex as those we have as adults. The best children's writers know this and are not tempted to oversimplify…. I think about my own childhood a lot, and when I write about a certain age I have very vivid memories of what it felt like then. I think that memories from childhood are like dreams. It's not important to remember all of them, but what you do remember is important."

Among Levy's most popular works for children are the adventures of the Bamford brothers, Sam and Robert. The pair's escapades, which begin in Frankenstein Moved in on the Fourth Floor and Dracula Is a Pain in the Neck, are continued in Gorgonzola Zombies in the Park. In this last story, Sam and Robert's eight-year-old cousin, Mabel, has come to New York City for a visit. Annoyed by her constant teasing, the boys convince Mabel that the statues in Central Park were once-living things that were transformed into statues by a zombie with breath that smells as bad as Gorgonzola cheese, one of Mabel's favorite foods. When someone smears the smelly cheese on the statues, the cousins embark on a search for the culprit. Bonnie Siegel praised the book's "strong characters and snappy dialogue" in a School Library Journal review, and Booklist critic Stephanie Zvirin asserted that the plot "will win over middle-grade readers, especially those who have enjoyed the brothers' previous comic adventures."

In Wolfman Sam, another installment in the chronicles of the Bamford boys, Sam is chosen as the school's disc jockey, and adopts the name Wolfman Sam. Robert, jealous of all the attention Sam is getting, finds a list of the identifying characteristics of werewolves, which scares Sam into thinking he might really be one. Robert's scheme sets off a series of humorous episodes in what School Library Journal contributor Suzanne Hawley called "a lighthearted and believable story." Stephanie Zvirin, writing for Booklist, observed that In Vampire State Building, when Sam's online junior chess partner comes to New York City from Romania for a tournament, his pointy teeth and secretive behavior give rise to concern. (Illustration by Sally Wern Comport.)"the relationship between the brothers is solidly grounded," and this relationship grows stronger in Vampire State Building. In this series installment Sam and Robert are involved in a New York City chess tournament, where players are coming from all around the globe. Sam has only met his teammate, Vlad, online, and Robert begins to suspect that Vlad may not be entirely human. "The humorous dialogue rings true," wrote Elaine E. Knight in a review for School Library Journal.

Levy's series of easy-to-read chapter books for children, the "Brian and Pea Brain" mysteries, includes Rude Rowdy Rumors. In this work, seven-year-old Brian is a star soccer player, and a jealous teammate is stirring up trouble by spreading wild lies about him. Accompanied by his younger sister Penny—affectionately known as Pea Brain—Brian sets out to discover the source of the hurtful rumors. Blair Christolon, in a review for School Library Journal, noted that "Levy presents a straightforward tale using basic vocabulary and simple sentence structure," adding that the mystery "ends on a clever, humorous note that will leave readers chuckling." Booklist critic Lauren Peterson praised the book's "fast-paced plot" and called Brian an "appealing, likable protagonist."

A departure from Levy's series work is her collaboration with illustrator Diana Bryer on the picture book Cleo and the Coyote. Here an abandoned dog named Cleo, who has just found a home with a boy and his mother, finds herself on a plane to Utah to visit the boy's sheep-rancher uncle. Levy's story chronicles Cleo's adventures in her new desert surroundings, including her relationship with a wild coyote. Susan Powers, writing in School Library Journal, declared that "everything about this book is warm…. Levy departs boldly and successfully from her dog-meets-boy story and extends the breadth of this tale."

The characters in Levy's long-running "Gymnasts" series, which she wrote between the late 1980s and early 1990s, became particularly special to her in the course of dreaming up their adventures. "I've found that writing a series so intensely is a very vivid experience," she explained. "The characters take on their own life, and actually kept me company. I took a lot of comfort and joy from my gymnasts. They were good friends to each other, and good friends to me through some family illnesses. I've spoken to other authors of series and they agree. Writing a series of twenty-two books with the same characters is similar to creating a make-believe group of 'best friends' who move in with you, driving your family nuts, but giving you a lot of comfort."

Many of Levy's other works for children employ the mystery-series format. Her "Invisible, Inc." mysteries chronicle the adventures of three young sleuths: Chip, who is invisible; Justin, who is hearing impaired and a lip reader; and Charlene, the leader of the group. In Parents' Night Fright, the prize-winning story Charlene is supposed to read at Parents' Night disappears, and the trio follows a trail of suspects and clues before apprehending the story thief. In a School Library Journal review, Pam Hopper Webb maintained that "this fast-paced contemporary story grabs readers' attention much like a prime-time sitcom." Booklist contributor Stephanie Zvirin noted that "the interactions between the characters have solid appeal, and the meaty text … gives children a good opportunity to practice their reading skills."

Levy's "Something Queer" mystery series for younger readers features girl sleuths Gwen and Jill, who solve puzzling mysteries at school and in their neighborhood. In Something Queer at the Haunted School they track down what may be a real ghost, while in Something Queer on Vacation they discover who has been knocking down sandcastles at the beach. Among the most engaging aspects of the series, a reviewer for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books observed, are a "light style, active girl detectives, humor, and a gratifying solution to the mystery."

The "Something Queer" series spun off with "Fletcher's Mysteries," a series where Gwen and Jill's dog, Fletcher, becomes the detective. In this series, designed for younger readers, Fletcher and his flea Jasper track down missing pets, uncovering villains plotting doggy danger and catching wig thieves in the process. "Readers will enjoy the unlikely but likable dog detective," wrote Shelle Rosenfeld in a review of the first book in the series, A Hare-Raising Tale, for Booklist. Of The Mixed-Up Mask Mystery, a Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that "the first-canine perspective, complete with rear-end sniffing, will have everyone howling." The Mystery of Too Many Elvises, in which Fletcher performs as an Elvis impersonator, was met with enthusiasm by Kristina Aaronson, who wrote in School Library Journal that "the idea of a pet talent show, the likable dog detective, and the easy-to-resolve mystery will appeal to young readers." Of The Cool Ghoul Mystery, Laura Scott wrote in School Library Journal: "Beginning chapter-book readers will feel right at home with Fletcher and his friends."

Levy takes a different approach with each new mystery she writes. "I find writing mysteries very different from writing novels," she once told SATA. "The great pleasure of writing a mystery is that I know how the book will end. Before I begin a mystery, I have to figure out who did it and why. I know that by the end of the book my detectives will expose the character. Usually I do not know the path my detectives will take to make this discovery. I have to go back and on the second and third drafts I must change significant parts of the book to lay clues that develop towards the end of the book.

"However, the end is always in place. I think that is why we like mysteries. People who don't read mysteries can never understand how I can read them at night before I go to sleep. 'Don't they keep you up?,' friends ask. I find mysteries comforting. I read them when I'm tired or upset. Unless the writer is a cheat, I know the book will have a satisfactory ending. The bad will be punished and the characters I like will survive to live in another book. I only like mystery 'series.'

"Novels are completely different. Usually I write a novel about a conflict that I remember from my own childhood or something that I have experienced recently but believe that I also experienced when I was younger. I believe that the gift of a novel is to let others know that they are not alone, and that our secrets are usually far more shameful if kept hidden than if allowed out in the open. In most of my books, friendship is important. My friends are a huge part of my life, without them I would be bereft, and in my books I try to celebrate the healing power of friendship."

Levy's novels for middle graders and young adults deal with a wide variety of themes. Cheater, Cheater explores the difficulties of middle-school life. Seventh grader Lucy Lovello cheats at a friend's bowling party in order to impress a boy and, as a result, must deal with the consequences of being labeled a cheater. Jana R. Fine, writing in School Library Journal, asserted that in Cheater, Cheater "all of [Levy's] characters show realistic idiosyncrasies associated with young teens," and dubbed the book "a well-tempered portrayal of young adolescent life." A Kirkus Reviews critic praised the book's "natural, smooth dialogue leading to a thought-provoking resolution."

Geared for teen readers, The Drowned incorporates supernatural and horror-story elements. The book's protagonist, Lily, is spending the summer in Atlantic City, where her father drowned a few years earlier, leaving her with a fear of the ocean. Lily and a mysterious friend decide to make some money by leading a tour of spooky Atlantic City sights, including the house of a boy who drowned. Lily becomes ill at the house and is cared for by the boy's mother, at which point the story takes a scary and surprising turn. Deborah Stevenson, in the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, noted that the story has "an enticing blend of local atmosphere and classic supernatural horror motifs," as well as a "straightforward and accessible style." Booklist critic Janice Del Negro asserted that Levy's "supernatural potboiler will be an easy booktalk."

Another young-adult novel, Tackling Dad, features thirteen-year-old Cassie who wants to play football like her father. As a child, Cassie was the star of the Peewee League, but now that her middle school is allowing girls to join the football team, her father refuses to support her decision to join. Coach Harris, a family friend of Cassie's who is also the middle-school coach, encourages Cassie to follow her dream of playing on the team. Coach Harris "has an especially endearing relationship to the protagonist," according to Jennifer Cogan in School Library Journal. Julie Cummins, writing for Booklist, felt that Levy's "realistic story … is sure to score big with girls."

My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian is the humorous story of class clown Bobby, whose constant shenanigans annoy everyone and soon threaten his relationship with his family and his success in school. Finally Bobby's teacher, Mr. Matous, gives Bobby the job of organizing a school-wide comedy competition, and the boy has a chance to turn his comedic energy into something productive. A Kirkus Reviews critic called My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian "hard to put down," while Darcy Schild praised its "realistic setting" and "believable emotions" in her School Library Journal review.

Big Trouble in Little Twinsville and Take Two, They're Small introduce fourth-grader Eve, who has two twin sisters entering kindergarten. What makes things worse is that Eve's teacher is the identical twin of the kindergarten teacher. When Eve gets paired up with one of her sisters for a cross-grade project, she wonders if she will ever be able to escape twin-dom. Levy "gets across the rivalry, uproar, and love among siblings in a happy family," wrote Kathy Broderick in Booklist, while a Kirkus Reviews writer noted that the book's "lively plot and winning characters are just right for each other."

"While her books are characterized by a breezy humor, Levy also displays a sympathetic understanding of the problems faced by children and teens," commented a contributor to the St. James Guide to Children's Writers. "One of Levy's greatest strengths as a writer is that she allows her young characters to find their own paths without moralizing lectures by the narrator or adult characters." The books promote "respect and acceptance of others" while also featuring characters who are "funny and sassy," the essayist added. Remarking on the combination of serious and humorous elements in her works, Levy once told SATA: "For my characters to triumph they learn a lot about love and being loved. So there's a serious side to my characters and me, but I also love knowing why it's so easy to fool vampires. Because they're suckers. That's not a put-down. It's just a joke and it's funny."