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Is XO, Kitty Based on a Book?


If you’re a fan of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, chances are you’ve been looking forward to watching its spin-off series, XO, Kitty on Netflix. Well, now that you’ve finished binge-watching the series, does it have a novel you could read?

What Book Is XO, Kitty Based On?

Kitty facetiming Dae in Episode 1
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Credit: Netflix
Kitty facetiming Dae in Episode 1

Released on May 18, 2023, the show XO, Kitty follows Lara Jean Song Covey’s younger sister, Kitty Song Covey, as she enrolls herself in KISS school to discover more about herself, her boyfriend Dae, and their deceased mother, Eve Song.

Played by Anna Cathcart, Kitty is very much grown up in the Netflix series. She took a leap of faith to transfer to KISS school where she could be with her long-distance pen pal/boyfriend, Dae (portrayed by Minyeong Choi).

Jenny Han, the original author and creator of the best-selling YA drama series, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, unfortunately, did NOT create XO, Kitty from a novel, unlike her initial book series.

However, in a 2022 interview, Han told Cinemablend about the possibilities of creating another book just to tell the story of LJ’s younger sister, Kitty:

“For XO Kitty. I approached it like if I was gonna do another book for Kitty, then what story would I want to tell? And that was my jumping off point.”

XO, Kitty marks the first time the author has ever created an on-screen project that wasn’t adapted from her beloved novel first.

ALSO READ: When Is XO, Kitty Coming Out on Netflix?

Did XO, Kitty Come From To All The Boys Book Series?

Lara Jean and Peter from Kitty's presentation in Episode 1
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Credit: Netflix
Lara Jean and Peter from Kitty's presentation in Episode 1

Jenny Han was first made popular after her To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before novel series blew up among YA lovers.

It was 2018 when Han finally adapted To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, soon followed by To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You in 2020, and to end the trilogy, To All The Boys: Always and Forever by 2021.

The trilogy starred Lana Candor as Lara Jean with Noah Centineo as Peter as they embark on their love story from starting off as fake dating to officially dating and going off to college.

While Kitty already existed and appeared in the previous book series and Netflix show from time to time, XO, Kitty was purely created as a Netflix show.


Will XO, Kitty Get Its Own Novel Series By Jenny Han?

In the same interview, though, Han did not shy away from giving fans hope that Kitty would get the same treatment as Lara Jean by getting her own love story published as a book, as well.

“Probably not. I mean, never say never, but I think that it really works well as a TV show and I think people will be excited to see Kitty growing up and will meet her like the same age as we met Lara Jean, which I think is always fun when you grow up with somebody to come back and see them a little bit older.”

It remains to be seen whether Han will curate Kitty’s story into another one of her novels, but as the author said, ‘never say never’, which gives a slight chance she could get another best-seller sooner or later.

It is possible to adapt a book about XO, Kitty solely filled the letters Kitty exchanged with Dae, a scrapbook memento readers could always look back to.

For now, you can watch XO, Kitty’s official Netflix trailer below before you watch its ten episodes on the streamer:

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