GEORGE

George

By Alex Gino

Image credit: www.alexgino.com

1. Bibliography

Gino, Alex. 2015. George. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-545-81254-2

2. Plot Summary

This is the story of George, who appears to be a boy to the world, his family and his friends, but feels more like Melissa inside.  The story begins as George is reading magazines for teen girls that she must hide in the back of her closet.  At school, George learns that the class will be putting on the school play Charlotte's Web.  George longs to be Charlotte, but the role is only available to girls.  George's best friend Kelly gets the part of Charlotte, but together they devise a plan to let George show everyone who she truly is.  

3. Critical Analysis

George is a timely and unique novel for middle grades readers.  It tells the story of a transgender 10-year-old boy and the trials she goes through in an attempt let her true self shine.  Through Alex Gino's candid words and insider perspective, the reader feels empathy for George and her struggle with gender identity.  Although gender identity is a major theme of this novel, it is also an enjoyable and highly readable tale of genuine friendship.  

This book has numerous cultural markers that characterize this book as an example of LGBTQ children's fiction. First, George finds solace in teen girls' magazines.  She finds magazines in dumpsters around town and these become her most prized possessions.  She feels like she "would fit right in" to the scenes in the magazines.  This is the reader's first clue that George does not envision herself as a 10-year-old boy.  The second cultural marker is that the narrator refers to George throughout the novel with feminine pronouns.  For the reader, the use of these pronouns cements George's gender identity as a girl from the beginning.  Another cultural marker is that she gets bullied by Rick and Jeff in her class.  Bullying is a common occurrence for LGBTQ individuals and it is no different for George.  They begin by giggling in class, but later the bullying escalates into Jeff punching George in the school yard.  

Next, George's idea to audition to be Charlotte in the school play is rejected by his teacher.  She has specific ideas about gender and roles in the school play and insists that only girls are allowed to tryout for Charlotte.  Even though George has memorized all of Charlotte's lines, the teacher gives the part to Kelly.  George has a strong will to let her true self be known.  When George and Kelly discuss the plan to switch places in the school play, Kelly abruptly asks, "Do you want your mom to know you're a girl?" and George replies with an emphatic "Yes."   George's mom is apprehensive about her son's gender identity.  Even though George is sure about it, his mother is not.  After George's rousing performance as Charlotte, her mother curtly responds, "Well, that was unexpected."  Families of LGBTQ individuals often have mixed reactions when their loved one comes out for the first time, as is the case with George's mother.  

Another cultural marker is the presence of allies in the story.  Principal Maldonado is seldom seen in the story, but always appears as an ally.  After the play, she quietly reminds George, "my door is always open".  Kelly is George's best friend and accepts her just the way she is without hesitation.  At the end of the story, Kelly encourages George to borrow her clothes and go to the zoo dressed as Melissa.  George remembers the outing as a part of "the best week of her life".

4. Review Excerpts & Awards

BOOKLIST (August 2015) "George is an appealing, thoroughly believable character, and her best friend Kelly adds humor and zest to this gentle story.  Gino does an excellent job introducing factual information into the narrative without impinging upon the accessible and appealing story."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (November 2015) "This is a brave and necessary choice for the school library. Not only does this book fill a niche that is much needed, but it is an amazing story of friendship and a tribute to how we should be living our lives: authentically."

• Stonewall Award Winner, 2016
• Lambda Literary Award Winner - LGBT Children's/Young Adult, 2016
• California Book Awards, Gold, 2016
• Children's Choice Book Awards, Debut Author, 2016
• E. B. White Read-Aloud Award - Middle Reader Honor Book, 2016
• Goodreads Choice Award for Middle Grade & Children's Literature, 2016
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, Nominee, 2017
• Cybils Awards, Nominee, 2015

5. Connections

• Students that enjoyed George might also want to read Rules by Cynthia Lord, The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff or Wonder by R. J. Palacios.  Though none of these stories specifically address transgender children, they are all stories with a character that faces challenges.
• Reading this book in a middle grades classroom would bring up many topics for discussion such as what it means to be transgender, bullying, acceptance of others' differences, etc.