George (novel)
| Author | Alex Gino |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | LGBT, children's fiction, transgender |
| Published | 2015 |
| Publisher | Scholastic Press |
| Pages | 195pp |
| ISBN |
George is a children's novel about a young transgender girl written by Alex Gino.
Melissa (known to all as George), a fourth grader, dreams of playing Charlotte, the female spider, rather than Wilbur, the male pig, in her school's production of Charlotte's Web. Melissa auditions for the part by reciting Charlotte's lines to her teacher, who thinks that Melissa is playing a joke on her. While initially upset, Melissa refuses to participate in the play but volunteers for stage crew. After Melissa comes out as transgender to her best friend Kelly, and in the process becoming known by her preferred name, the two devise a plan for Melissa to play Charlotte during the evening performance of Charlotte's Web.
Prior to George's commercial release publisher Scholastic Corporation sent over 10,000 copies to teachers in the United States which received mixed, but largely positive feedback.
The School Library Journal, in a starred review, writes that George is "A required purchase for any collection that serves a middle grade population". In a National Public Radio review of George, Gino points out that Melissa isn't powerless when she faces her bullies, and that the novel as a whole "is a narrative about a young person who is very much trying to become who they are."
Trans woman actress Jamie Clayton narrated the audiobook for the novel.
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