George is a transgender fourth grader. She knows she’s really a girl, even though the people around her call her a boy. When she auditions to play the lead role in her class play Charlotte’s Web, her teacher suggests she play Wilbur instead. “You did a good job,” she says, “but I can’t cast you as Charlotte. I have too many girls who want the part.” Luckily, George’s best friend Kelly is a quick thinker so together they come up with a plan.

I have so many thoughts and feelings about this book, all positive, so brace yourself for a long review. There is so much to like about George I don’t even know where to start.

George already knows she’s a girl at the beginning of the book, so it’s not really a journey of self discovery. Instead, it’s about her ever-changing relationships with the people around her as she decides whether or not to come out to them, and her joy whenever she does. No one is perfect, and we see this with each successive person she trusts, but we also see them all working to support her in their own ways. On a side note, although it showed people like her mom trying to understand what George was saying, it never made their struggles more important than her story, which is huge.

Besides the obvious focus on transgender issues, the book also brought up a few interesting discussion points about safety, particularly for queer youth in general. It talked about staying away from people and situations where being out would be unsafe. More importantly, Gino shows George noticing a Safe Space for LGBT Youth poster on her principal’s wall early in the book and then (wonder of wonders!) the principal comes through by showing support for George.

I do have to say the beginning was a little rocky because Gino had so much information they needed to get across. However, it ended up being a good thing because it gave the reader and the author the same vocabulary. By the time the first few chapters were over, I can’t remember a single time the story had to stop so something could be explained. The information was all front-loaded so the story could move naturally.

By the end of the book, I was utterly absorbed. I couldn’t spare a thought for the mechanics of the writing because I was too invested in the story. George’s joy at the end is absolutely contagious. I was grinning like a fool for the last four chapters. It wasn’t a magical, too-happy ending where everything resolves perfectly, but it was uplifting and hopeful, and that’s exactly what I love seeing in books for queer youth.

As far as the ideal reading age goes, I have conflicted feelings. While I don’t think there’s any content in the book too mature for a fourth grader, I wouldn’t pitch it to every fourth grader. There are too many kids who have only ever heard the word transgender in a tone of scorn, and I would worry their questions stemming from this book would go to people who can’t answer them. To be clear, I also wouldn’t steer any kids away from it. Any kid who stumbles onto this book would surely finish it with a broader understanding of LGBT issues and a warm fuzzy feeling. I don’t know what the answer is here. Is this the first thing to give a kid with no previous knowledge on this topic? Maybe. Do you give this to kids after they’ve asked you what transgender means? Maybe. I just don’t know.

Regardless, George is sweet through and through. There’s a lot of worthwhile stuff here that we should see more often in books. We get to watch George come out to the people closest to her and it’s a display of strength and vulnerability anyone can learn from. Also, how great that there’s multiple examples for kids to see how to be supportive when someone comes out to you!

Lessons learned in this book:
-You can be brave by yourself…(George)
-…but it’s okay to ask other people to help you be brave. (Kelly)
-People’s actions can be different than what’s in their heart. Maybe they don’t mean to hurt you. (Rick)
-It’s okay to do a little research when something scares you. (Mom)
-You’ll be surprised who your best support is. (Scott)

Read this book. Every adult out there, please read this book. It’s poignant and joyful and honest and respectful of the intense inner world we sometimes forget kids have. Read it.