Melissa (previously published as GEORGE) by Alex Gino

Genre: Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ

Targeted Age Group: Ages 9-12, Grades 4-6

Summary: When everyone looks at George, they see a boy but deep down she knows she’s a girl. When George is turned down for the part of Charlotte for the school’s play of Charlotte’s Web because she’s a boy, she comes up with a plan with her best friend Kelly to show that she can be Charlotte and to let everyone know who she truly is once and for all.

Why I chose this book: I have seen this book floating around the internet in literary spaces and it has been on my to be read list for a WHILE. Then in recent years I noticed that it was placed on the challenged/banned books list which began to pique my interest even more. Then recently I noticed that people were “vandalizing” the book but with good reason. It was a call from the author, who after some reflection, felt the book needed a title change to fit the character and the story that it championed. With all of the ruckus being made about the book along with the book wining the Lambda Literary Award and the Stonewall Book Award. I know this was a book that I could no longer keep denying and one that had to be read.

Review: The setting of the story throw me for a bit. Most of the stories that I have read involving LGBTQ characters have been young adult novels with the protagonists in high school and in college. I had yet to delve into a book where a protagonist who is part of the LGBTQ is in elementary school (fourth grade). To me that speaks volumes because it is giving me insight to the early years of plight of a transgender person. Of a person who knows who they are but feels stifled and afraid to be their true selves around their families and their best friend. I could not imagine how scary that must feel for a child, to be consumed with all of the emotion and struggle of being able to express your true self. While the age and grade makes the character relatable for its target audience. It is also an eye opener for the adult reading the book. The adult who says children have nothing to worry or fret about for they have simple lives that are warranted with struggles. The mood and tone of the book fit perfectly with the characters emotions. I, too felt anxious and a big ball of nerves for the titular character Melissa. Throughout the book, I felt myself holding my breath wondering what would happen next and wanting things to be easier for Melissa. You could feel the anxious along with the sadness while reading/listening through the story. I felt for Melissa, I wanted to be there for Melissa. It saddened me when her teacher who stood up for her in class against the class bullies later stated that she could not try out for the part of Charlotte because she was a boy. I felt the sadness that Melissa felt in that moment to have an adult who you thought would be in your corner and to have them reject you. There are happy moments within the book like when Melissa hangs out with Kelly and when she finally seeks a little bit of revenge on the class bully. But throughout most of the book, you are sitting in the emotions of Melissa. The emotions of sadness, anxiety and fear of those around you finding out the true you and wondering if they will continue to accept and love you.

This book has some believability. When looking back at Melissa’s teacher who stood up for during class with the bullies but dismissed her during audition for Charlotte. You see that there is a line drawn for Melissa’s teacher. Melissa’s teacher is accepting of the sensitive emotions that Melissa expresses but it is a line in the sand for her when Melissa auditions for Charlotte as this is seen as a traditional role. The same can be said for Melissa’s mother. When Melissa finally expresses who she is to her mother, it takes her mother some time to process what her child is telling her. Melissa’s mom is not suddenly on board and supportive and cheering. It takes her some time to get to a place of support. As the reader, I was wanting her mom to immediately jump on board the support and encouragement train. But now reflecting would that have been believable. It also brings to light that it is going to take time for the people in our lives, our families, and friends, to jump on board with what we are expressing and telling them. Everyone does not have an immediate happily ever after where after coming out everything is sunshine, rainbows and works out just fine. There is hardship to the coming out process and Gino greatly depicts this.

I enjoyed this book. I listened to it on audiobook with Jamie Clayton as the narrator who did a wonderful job with the reading and voicework. Listening to this work as an audiobook, I found myself feeling more emotional as I was listening to Melissa and her story. At one point, I needed to stop as I was listening while driving and did not want to be overcome with emotion (especially driving through Houston). Listening to the book brought out an emotional connection to the book for me. I found myself greatly wanting to plant myself in the story so that I could give her a hug, tell her things will be okay and that I am in her corner.

Gino, A. (2015). Melissa. Scholastic Inc.