George

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George

Audio CD(Unabridged)

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Audio CD(Unabridged)
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Overview

A bright, bold debut about a girl who happens to have been born a boy, but refuses to let that stand in the way of her dream.

More than anything else, George wants to play Charlotte in her fourth-grade class’s production of Charlotte's Web. The problem is, her teacher won’t let her, because George is a boy. But George isn't about to let that squash her dream. With the help of her best friend, George must learn to stand up for her wish -- and brave a few bullies along the way.

Transcending all categories and genres, George is a pertinent and poignant middle-grade read for kids of all backgrounds.

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545880060
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/25/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	12.10(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Alex Gino loves glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive. George is their first novel. For more about Alex, please visit alexgino.com.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us: Banned Books Week 2021

Banned and challenged books have made us question the ways of the world — and sparked heated debates for as long as any of us can remember.

Prepare yourself, Alex Gino: You'll be receiving lots of feedback when readers discover your timely, touching novel. School librarians will run to you at conferences, thanking you for writing a story that speaks to students like George. Irate parents will leave one-star reviews on Amazon, claiming your book has an agenda. And there will be children—you know, the actual intended audience for George—who will send you an email, politely demanding a sequel. You can't blame them for asking. The memorable central character of George is unlike almost any protagonist out there…
—The New York Times Book Review

The New York Times Book Review - Tim Federle

★ 05/11/2015
Though others see her as male, 10-year-old George has long known that she is a girl, and she longs for people to see that truth, even while the idea terrifies her. When George’s fourth-grade class has tryouts for a school production of Charlotte’s Web, George desperately wants to play Charlotte, a character she adores. George’s teacher doesn’t allow to George to audition for the part, but her supportive best friend Kelly, who is cast as Charlotte, comes up with a plan that may give George the chance she needs. The taunts of a school bully, George’s self-doubts, and her mother’s inability to truly hear what George is telling her carry real weight as debut author Gino’s simple, direct writing illuminates George’s struggles and quiet strength. George’s joy during stolen moments when she can be herself will resonate with anyone who has felt different, while providing a necessary window into the specific challenges of a child recognizing that they are transgender. Profound, moving, and—as Charlotte would say—radiant, this book will stay with anyone lucky enough to find it. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

“Timely, touching…George may be the most right-now book imaginable.” – New York Times Book Review
“Insightful…it'll resonate with anyone who has ever felt different.” – People Magazine
“George is a timely book for parents to share and discuss with their children, whether dealing with similar issues or simply to foster understanding.” – Entertainment Weekly
* “Warm, funny, and inspiring.” -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* “Profound, moving, and–as Charlotte would say–radiant...” -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
* “A required purchase for any collection that serves a middle grade population.” -- School Library Journal, starred review
* “[A] sensitive, insightful portrayal of a transgender child coming to terms with gender identity.” -- Booklist, starred review
“Readers going through a similar experience will feel that they are no longer alone, and cisgender (non-transgender) readers may gain understanding and empathy.” -- BookPage
“Reading this breathtaking debut should be a requirement for living.” #6 on the Indie Next Autumn '15 List – Marisa DiNovis, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC

From the Publisher

George has a secret and it is time to tell the world. In order to do so, George must play the role of Charlotte in the school’s upcoming play so that everyone will know that, despite the male body she was born into, she is actually a girl. After being told that only a girl can play the part, George and her best friend Kelly hatch a plan so that her family and everyone will see her for who she really is. The reader gets a unique look into George’s mind as she struggles to come out to her best friend, winces at the mention of her future as a man, fends off school bullies, and hopes for acceptance from her family. Beautifully written, this story is a much-needed perspective on transgendered youth and the trials and triumphs they go through. The author takes such a complex topic and, through the eyes of a ten-year-old child, simplifies it. The writing is age appropriate and would make an excellent choice for a classroom book. It could also be an incredibly eye-opening story for any child who struggles with gender identity. Reviewer: Amy McLaughlin; Ages 8 to 12.

Children's Literature - Amy McLaughlin

★ 11/01/2015
Gr 4–6—Melissa is in fourth grade. She has a best friend named Kelly. Melissa loves fashion magazines and playing Mario Kart with her older brother, Scott. And, more than anything, she wants to play Charlotte in the school play, Charlotte's Web. Unfortunately, the world sees Melissa as George, not as the girl she is. Melissa doesn't wonder if she is transgender; she wonders how to explain that to the world. Reactions of those around Melissa range from Kelly's supportive friendship to her teacher's judgmental attitude. Well-meaning comments from her mother remind listeners of the impact of words. As Melissa struggles with bullying, listeners will find themselves championing her. While filling a niche in the middle-grade LGBTQ+ literary canon, this work transcends issues and stereotypes and speaks to friendship, kindness and acceptance. Melissa's story of self-advocacy demands a response from listeners. The honesty and straightforwardness of the text allows for everyone to find their own reflections in the novel. Providing an impetus for discussion, Melissa's journey demands growth from the listener—the most noble of all demands from a book. Jamie Clayton, an outstanding actress and voice in the trans community, delivers a sensitive reading. VERDICT 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. ["A required purchase for any collection that serves a middle grade population": SLJ 7/15 starred review of the Scholastic book.]—Terri Perper, Olney Elementary School, MD

School Library Journal - Audio

★ 07/01/2015
Gr 4–6—Before her mother and older brother Scott come home, George has a few, treasured moments to experience life as she's always wanted to live it. She looks in the mirror and calls herself Melissa, combs her hair over her forehead to mimic the appearance of bangs, and reads glossy magazines full of ads for lipstick, perfume, and tampons. Once her mom and brother come home, however, the magazines must go back to their secret hiding place. While George has no doubt she's a girl, her family relates to her as they always have: as a boy. George hopes that if she can secure the role of Charlotte in her class's upcoming production of Charlotte's Web, her mom will finally see her as a girl and be able to come to terms with the fact that George is transgender. With the help of her closest ally, Kelly, George attempts to get the rest of the world to accept her as she is. While children can have a sense of their gender identity as early as the age of three, children's literature is shockingly bereft of trans* protagonists, especially where middle grade literature is concerned. George offers more than the novelty of an LGBTQ coming-out story, however. Here, what is most remarkable is the use of pronouns: While the world interacts with George as if she is a boy, the narrator only refers to her with female pronouns, which gives her girl-ness a stronger sense of validation. In addition, George comments on the fact that, in past years, gays and lesbians have achieved a certain amount of visibility and acceptance, while the trans* community is still largely ignored and misunderstood. George's mother remarks that while she can handle having a gay child, she simply can't accept her as "that kind of gay." For George, as is the case for many LGBTQ youth, coming out is a process that she must repeat until she is properly recognized. There is pain in George, but not without the promise of a better tomorrow, even if tomorrow doesn't arrive as soon as it should. VERDICT A required purchase for any collection that serves a middle grade population.—Ingrid Abrams, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

★ 2015-05-06
George, a fourth-grader who knows she is a girl, despite appearances, begins to tell her secret. The word "transgender" is used midway through, but far more work is done by the simple choice to tell George's story using third-person narration and the pronouns "she" and "her." Readers then cringe as much as George herself when bullies mock her or—perhaps worse—when well-meaning friends and family reassure her with sentiments like "I know you'll turn into a fine young man." Each year the fourth-graders at George's school perform a dramatized version of Charlotte's Web, the essentials of which are lovingly recapped (and tear-inducing ending revealed) for readers unfamiliar with the tale. George becomes convinced that if she plays Charlotte, her mom will finally see her as a girl. George's struggles are presented with a light, age-appropriate, and hopeful touch. The responses she gets when she begins to confide in those closest to her are at times unexpected but perfectly true-to-character—most notably her crude older brother's supportive observation that, "No offense, but you don't make a very good boy." A coda to the Charlotte's Web story, in which George presents herself as a girl for the first time, is deeply moving in its simplicity and joy. Warm, funny, and inspiring. (Fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews

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