George by Alex Gino Published by Scholastic Inc. on August 25th 2015
Pages: 208
Goodreads
Genres: Bullying, Friendship, Social Issues, Young Adult
BE WHO YOU ARE. When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part . . . because she's a boy. With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.
George by Alex Gino has been a book that has been on my radar for quite some time now and its been on my wishlist since then so this past weekend I decided to pick it up when I visited a little indie bookstore in my area.
BE WHO YOU ARE is literally something I live by and I wish more people would actually do this. I loved the message behind the book and I can’t even image the struggles some children and people must go through in life.
If you look at George you will see a boy because he looks, dresses and acts like a boy but on the inside there is a girl screaming to get out and be recognized for who she is. George is only ten years old and she is struggling to keep this deep dark secret inside her. Being a kid is always a hard but when you have a secret that could possibly make things worse for you its even harder for you and throw in a bully who likes to make fun of you and wants to fight you.
George is in the fourth grade and this year her class is putting on the play, Charlotte’s Web. Which is a favorite of mine. Who doesn’t like Charlotte’s Web?
George decides she wants to play Charlotte which we all know is a girl’s part but for George its a way that she can actually feel like a real girl for once and be who she feels inside around her friends and family who have no clue about what is going on.
George’s best friend is Kelly and they both decide to rehearse together for the part. Eventually George decides to let Kelly in on her secret and knowing its a huge risk she is taken but I have to say I thought Kelly handled the situation extremely well and I would only wish more kids had a friend like Kelly in their lives.
When the day for the auditions happen Ms. Udell is not happy that George wants to audition for the part of Charlotte and tells George that it won’t happen that he can have another part but George says no that if she can’t be Charlotte she wants no other part in the play.
Fast forward to the day of the play and Kelly and George come up with a plan that in the second performance they would switch. Ms Udell is not happy but thankfully Principal Maldonado came to the rescue and told George that if she ever needed to talk her door was always open and I think that is what kids need to hear that someone will be there to hear them speak.
As a parent I have always let Michael know that we are not all the same but we all deserve love and respect from one another and that it doesn’t matter who we are, what color our skin is its whats inside that counts. When I look back over the last 12 years of Michael’s life I see that I have instilled those values and he treats everyone with kindness, love and respect and that everyone is a person no matter what.