George knew that Mom was trying to help. But George didn’t have a normal problem. She wasn’t scared of snakes. She hadn’t failed a math test. She was a girl, and no one knew it.

-Alex Gino, George

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Synopsis: George is a girl. Her body might fool people into thinking otherwise, but she knows she’s a girl. And she’s dying to play Charlotte in the fourth grade production of Charlotte’s Web. The only issue is that everyone says she can’t play a female role because she’s a boy. George has to fight to get what she wants and show who she really is.

The Good: Gender and sexuality are complicated themes, but they aren’t dumbed down in this novel despite being written for an audience of children/middle grade readers. George’s character is awesome, and her voice is real and authentic.

The Bad: The language and plotline could’ve been expanded or a bit more complex/expanded, even within the juvenile fiction category. While the themes weren’t simplified, I think George could’ve shown a broader range of emotions related to her understanding of her gender and her relationship with her naysayers.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Challenge satisfied: #12, read a book by or about a person who identifies as transgender. (This book is both by and about someone who identifies as transgender!)

Additional notes: I love the cover art for George. It evokes Google’s homepage, which emphasizes the quest for understanding.

George is book 6 of my Read Harder Challenge. You can also check out my reviews of Persepolis and Bad Feminist.

An affiliate link is used in this post. All opinions in this review are my own and are not influenced by the affiliate.