Poet and author Ellen Wittlinger, whose YA novels have been praised for their depiction of memorable and realistic protagonists. The characters navigated the experiences of first love and other provocative issues of adolescence. Wittlinger died November 17, 2022 following her battle with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. She was 74 years old. Wittlinger was born October 21, 1948, in the town of Belleville, Ill.
As a child, Wittlinger would have long periods of time alone, and books became a source of companionship, comfort, and adventure. Her family took her to the public library often. That place became even more special to her when she was old enough to go there by herself.
Wittlinger earned a scholarship to Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, in 1970 and received a bachelor’s degree with a double major in art and sociology. She moved across the country to Iowa when she was accepted to the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop the following year.
Wittlinger wrote many young adult novels, including Hard Love (Simon & Schuster, 1999), which follows 16-year-old John after he falls in love with his best friend Marisol, who is a lesbian. It was named a Printz Honor Book. In all, she wrote 16 novels. These include Heart on My Sleeve and Love & Lies.
She wrote engaging books that explored all facets of love and identity. This allowed readers to see themselves in stories that featured main characters outside the straight, cisgender norm. Wittlinger was a pioneer of LGBTQ+ literature and an advocate for those who had little to no voice.
