George Paperback – 2001

You know it is not as good as it is hyped... i mean the writing style is OKAY.

This book was recently denounced by the "Million Moms," one of those self-appointed guardians of public morality. So naturally I had to buy a copy to see what the fuss was about. It's the story of a ten-year-old girl named Melissa who is faced with a problem. The problem is that most of the people she knows consider her to be a boy named George. Of course, complications ensue, and the book is about how she faces this situation and how the problems start fo get resolved. As a 77-year-old firmly cisgender male, I'm not exactly in the target demographic for this, but found it a fascinating story, and one which would be especially interesting and empowering for a ten-year-old, whether transgender, questioning, or just interested in gender issues. I wish there had been books like this whan I was a kid,

This middle grade book did so much so right. I know it can often be difficult going into a middle grade book as an adult with the intention of reviewing it. Our standards of plot and character development is on such a higher scale. For me though, many years of reading bedtime stories and buddy reading with my daughter as she grew, gave me the opportunity to see this kind of writing though a different lens. That being said, George blew me away.George is transgender and this is the story of her coming to terms with the realization of who she is not in a world that defines her based on her appearance, typical stereotypes and gender roles that are prevalent in society. George experiences the world through a role she was born to play, a role that society has deemed appropriate for a boy/man. George knows that how she feels is not congruent with what she experiences or what is expected of her as a son, male student, or a boy friend. This book follows George through one week of her life, one week that will change forever how she feels about herself and the world around her.The toughest parts of this book are not what George feels, but lets be clear what she feels is very important, because for me children realizing who they are is a natural evolution. The tough parts are seeing how others, mostly adults, react to George. The reactions of George's brother and mother were both well portrayed, his brother being a surprise stand out. But it was George's best friend Kelley who got me in the feels. This book just shows, even though it is in the smallest way, that kids are more accepting and unfazed by George's secret than all of the adults were. It shows how much of the biases that children grow into come from the adults who refuse to educate themselves or who are not above spreading hate as long as it serves their narratives.This snippet is such a small window into George's life, one that had been hard up until the point we joined her. I am sure that she would continue to struggle if the story were to span her getting older because sadly, society isn't catching up fast enough. This book is important because it gives kids, who may be silently struggling with similar things, the knowledge that they are not alone and that in itself is worth spreading this book to anyone who will read it. This books is excellent for any adult trying to educate themselves or any adult reading it with or to their children to expand their own empathy and understanding of those deemed different. In the end, George wants what everyone, adult or child, wants... Acceptance.For me personally, my daughter could tell me she was a rock and I would do everything in my power to help her be the best rock she can be. I only hope for a time when being gay, transgender, non-binary and the like won't be a big deal. A time when what our children, friends, and family identify as has no barring on the beautiful people they are. Books like George take us one more step in that direction.

Content warnings: bullying, transphobia, misogynyWhy I Recommend Bumping This UP On Your TBR:▪ It celebrates its genre by sticking to the plot formulas of classic middle grade works and by including Charlotte's Web throughout.▪ It mixes the horrifying reality of coming out (how the world can react) with examples of how healthy individuals can respond to someone coming out.▪ Like most, I cried reading this. For me it was the last time we see the purse and magazines that did it.▪ It provide significant validation for trans folks. (And by extension queergender/enby folks. And it has a lot of acceptance of gay folks.)▪ It provides significant education for all folks.Additionally:▪ I wish the title was Melissa instead, but the title doesn't become a deadname until the end and I don't think we talked openly about deadnames before this book was written? I encourage all to educate yourselves about deadnames.

I started to read this book because of an article I read about it being on the list for Oregon Battle of the Books and parents were trying to get it removed. I went in with an open mind and fell in love with it moments into the book. I would have no issue with my kids reading it!

In a world that is quick to judge but slow to understand, there’s nothing better to do than teach our children to be kind. What a great story. It’s so important to expose our children to voices of others who do not live the way we do- who look different or believe differently or struggle in different ways. This book will change the hearts of our children and the future of our world.