Friday, April 24, 2020

George by Alex Gino

Title: George
Author: Alex Gino
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: August 25, 2015

Format: eBook
Price: $3.99
Page Count: 213 pages
ISBN-13: 9780545812542

Reading Level: Grades 5 and up (ages 10+)
Lexile: 790
Interest Level: Grades 5 and up (ages 10+)

Annotation: George is a girl with a big secret: the world sees her as a boy.

Plot and Content Summary: George was born a boy, but she knows she's really a girl. When her teacher decides to put on a class play for Charlotte's Web, she decides to audition for the role of Charlotte—but Ms. Udell does not even let George try out. George's best friend, Kelly, ends up getting the part, so George comes up with a plan that may let her be Charlotte and show the whole world who she really is.

Evaluation: Although this is a middle-grade novel, George proves to be a valuable read for teens. The story itself is very engaging, being in George's mind as she narrates her everyday life and thoughts. It may feel a little childish since she is 10 years old, but I think that helps with understanding what being transgender is like. George is not struggling with her identity—she already knows she is a girl. Watching her go from keeping it a secret with her "girly" magazines, to confiding in Kelly and talking about it with her mom and brother, felt very "slice-of-life" and realistic.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: George was made fun of and bullied for being different. She was denied an audition for a role that did not fit her sex at birth. But George was also supported by Kelly and his principal. For teens who may be going through the same thing and feeling hopeless, George is a book that shows the challenges of being transgender but also ends with a small light of hope. There are still people in George's life that have to come to terms with who she is, but she was able to open up and share some of her secrets with those closest to her.

Issues Present: For the same reason this could be useful for teens, the theme of gender identity could be a controversial topic that adults would want to challenge. Since this is written for a younger audience, adults may think it inappropriate to discuss. At this age, children are still growing and learning. They may feel it should not be introduced until they get older because it is a "complicated" issue. However, it is because they are growing and learning that there should be a book like George in their lives. In creating their identity, this could be something they can relate to.

Book Talk Ideas:
  • George wants to bring up how she feels to her mom, but she doesn't really know how to. What is their relationship like?
  • Why is playing the role of Charlotte so important to George?
  • What does Principal Maldonado mean when she says, "Well, you can't control who your children are, but you can certainly support them, am I right?" (p. 160)

Genre/Subgenres: LGBTQ+ fiction; Realistic fiction

Readalikes: The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng; Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky; Drama by Raina Telgemeier; Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan

References
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