Melissa

by

208 pages

Published Aug. 25, 2015

5 stars (1 review)

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.

1 edition

reviewed Melissa by Alex Gino

Melissa

5 stars

I continue my tour of banned books with Melissa (originally published in 2015 under the title George). As with all of these, I am not the target audience in terms of age, but I found this to be a very moving book. Gino has a subtle but effective way to tell a story which demonstrates how Melissa views herself versus how others view her. The story both has a great message ("be who you are"), but the supporting cast of characters (friends and family) also demonstrate how to care for Melissa as she learns more about her identity. A fantastic book with a profound message for anyone who picks it up. That people are being denied the chance to read this material is completely ludicrous.

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