Jenny Downham books

Jenny Downham is a British YA author known for emotionally intense novels including Before I Die, which was adapted into the film Now Is Good starring Dakota Fanning.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Red House Young Writers’ Yearbook 2012 2012 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Before I Die 2007 Buy
You Against Me 2010 Buy
Unbecoming 2015 Buy
Furious Thing 2019 Buy

Jenny Downham is a British novelist who lives in London. Before turning to writing, she worked as an actress for many years in alternative theatre, performing in prisons and hospitals. Her debut novel Before I Die (2007), about a terminally ill teenager making a bucket list, won the Branford Boase Award and was adapted into the 2012 film Now Is Good.

Downham’s four novels each stand alone with different characters and storylines, but they share a focus on young people facing difficult realities. You Against Me tackles a sexual assault accusation from both sides and won the Waterstones Teen Fiction Prize. Unbecoming traces three generations of women confronting family secrets and was named a Stonewall Honor Book. Furious Thing follows a girl recognizing emotional abuse in her family and was shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Jenny Downham written?

Jenny Downham has written five books across two series.

What was Jenny Downham's first book?

Jenny Downham’s first book is Before I Die, published in 2007.

Has any Jenny Downham book been adapted into a film?

Yes, her debut novel Before I Die was adapted into the 2012 film Now Is Good, starring Dakota Fanning and Jeremy Irvine. The book won the Branford Boase Award for best debut children’s novel.

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