GEORGE

by Alex Gino

Gino, A. (2015). George. NY: Scholastic.

From the outside, everyone sees George as a boy.  Mom says "you'll always be my little boy," and others comment that he'll grow into a "fine young man."  But all George wants is for the world, especially his mother, to see him for who he really is, a girl. For as long as he can remember he just knew that he was a girl, and recently he’s discovered that he's not alone.  There are other people just like him and they even have a name, transgender.  The fourth grade play is coming up and this year they are doing Charlotte's Web.  George has his heart set on playing the female spider Charlotte.  When his teacher get angry and says she cannot cast George as Charlotte because he's a boy, he is devastated.  When George finally gets the courage to open up to his best friend Kelley, she is extremely supportive and accepting.  With her help, he is finally able to take the stage as Charlotte and show everyone who he really is.  While George’s inner turmoil is heartbreaking, the love and acceptance he receives from his young friend is refreshing and inspiring.  We see him slowly evolve from being a scared and confused child to becoming happier and more confident in being a transgender person.  Many of Havighurst’s theories of developmental task are evident in this story including adolescents learning to get along with peers, adapting to their physical bodies and defining appropriate sex roles.  Students who enjoy this book may also like Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky.

Interview with Alex Gino