Ella Enchanted

Gail Carson Levine was born in New York, New York on September 17th, 1947. Levine’s childhood was spent in Washington Heights where, in high school, she was cast as the female lead in Androcles and the Lion by George Bernard Shaw. Levine’s college years were spent in both Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio and City College of New York where she would major in philosophy. A career in writing was not something Levine initially envisioned, as she spent some years working government jobs that focused on welfare.

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However, Levine admits that from third grade onward, she spent much of her time writing poetry and short stories. It would not be until the 1970s that Levine would begin dabbling in writing, particularly in focusing on writing for children. While she penned the script for a musical by the name of Spacenapped, Levine states that she never once viewed herself as a writer. Shortly after, Levine would come upon the inspiration that spawned her first attempt at children’s literature, The King’s Cure.

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Though The King’s Cure remained unpublished, it helped fuel Levine with the desire to properly pick up writing as more than a casual hobby. While taking writing classes and joining critique groups, Levine would spend the next few years receiving rejection after rejection until, finally, Ella Enchanted found itself picked up by an interested editor.

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Since Ella Enchanted’s publication, Levine has gone to write a number of children’s stories. Some of her later works include the following:

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• Dave at Night (1999)

• The Princess Tales: Volume 1 (1999)

• The Wish (2000)

• The Two Princesses of Bamarre

• The Princess Tales: Volume 2 (2004)

• Fairest (2006): based off Snow White and set in the same world as Ella Enchanted