Becky Albertalli facts for kids

Rebecca Albertalli (née Goldstein; born November 17, 1982) is an American author of young adult fiction and former psychologist. She is best known for her 2015 debut novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which was adapted into the 2018 film Love, Simon and inspired the spin-off television series Love, Victor.

Life and career

Albertalli was born and raised in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with her sister Caroline and brother Sam; where she still lives with her husband Brian, and two sons, Owen and Henry. Albertalli attended Wesleyan University and majored in psychology, before moving to Washington, D.C., and earning her Doctor of Psychology degree from George Washington University. In her psychological practice, she specialized in working with LGBTQ teens and gender nonconforming children. She worked as a psychologist until 2012—when her first son was born—and subsequently decided to try writing a novel. Albertalli was raised in a Reform Jewish household. Albertalli cites Australian author Jaclyn Moriarty as her primary inspiration in becoming a novelist. In August 2020, Albertalli came out as bisexual in an essay responding to people who had criticized her for writing about gay characters as a presumed heterosexual. She stated that coming out was not an "attempt to neutralize criticism of [her] books" and asked her critics to acknowledge that "carelessness in these discussions has caused real harm".

In April 2015, Albertalli's debut novel was published, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. A sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, titled Leah on the Offbeat was released in 2018 and won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction. In 2020, Albertalli released the third installment of the series with Love, Creekwood. Her other works include The Upside of Unrequited and What If It's Us, the latter of which she co-wrote with Adam Silvera. Movie rights to What If It's Us sold to Anonymous Content in 2018, with Brian Yorkey attached as screenwriter. The film rights to The Upside of Unrequited was obtained by Shakespeare Sisters, a U.K. production company, in 2021.

Filmography

Awards

• 2015 American Library Association's William C. Morris Award for Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
• 2017 German Youth Literature Prize for 'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda'