Gino, Alex. George.

Gino, Alex.  George.  Scarecrow Press     2016  195p  $16.99  ISBN 978-0-545-81254-2  ms  Conflict    VG-BN

Although George has a male body, she feels like a girl and wants to play the part of Charlotte in the class production of Charlotte’s Web, but to do so will require her to take chances that scare her, particularly since she already faces bullying from boys in class who are uncomfortable with her difference.  Fortunately George has a supportive, fearless best friend who helps her practice for the role, and when the teacher refuses to allow her to audition for a female part, her friend concocts a plan to get George into that spider costume no matter what.

This is an important book for young readers who are about to enter adolescence and may be in the process of coming to terms with their own gender or sexuality.  Although written for a middle-grade readership, George is well written, and the protagonist’s predicament has an authentic feel that keeps it from becoming obnoxious to older readers.
Throughout the book, author Alex Gino uses feminine adjectives to refer to the main character, in keeping with George’s preferences, which is a point readers will not fail to miss, and which could engender useful discussions about preferred pronouns in the trans* community.  

Summary: Although George has a male body, she feels like a girl and wants to play the part of Charlotte in the class production of Charlotte’s Web, but to do so will require her to take chances that scare her.   

Transgenderism-Fiction                                --Bethany Geleskie

Cooner, Donna. Skinny.

Cooner, Donna.  Skinny.  Scarecrow Press  260p  $17.99      978-0-545-42763-0  2012 ms/hs (Grades 7-11)       VG-BN      Realistic Fiction

Ever Davies weighs 302 pounds.  The self-deprecating inner voice she calls “Skinny” fills her head with harsh falsehoods.  After gastric bypass surgery, Ever must decide whether to follow her dreams or continue to listen to Skinny.     

This book takes the typical teenage angsty plot of a girl who is a wallflower, pining for a boy, in a new direction with great success.  Ever Davies feels like a misfit at school and at home, and she has turned to eating to cope with her problems.  Embarrassing events at school finally force her to consider gastric bypass surgery.  The ordeal of being overweight and the processes leading up to and following surgery, including the psychological changes that occur, are all integrated into the plot.  What makes this novel unique is that underneath all the dynamics of stepfamilies and snide comments about overweight people, there is the inner voice that so many teenagers hear telling them they are not good looking enough, smart enough, or popular enough.  Skinny is mean, and Skinny is the voice that Ever believes even after her surgery.  Teenagers who follow Ever’s journey will find in her a positive role model who learns to push down that inner voice and open up to friendship.  While there are some typical teenage plot devices such as a disastrous high-school dance, used as a climactic point in Ever’s transformation, this is a book that will find a receptive audience among high-school students.

Gastric Bypass Surgery-Fiction                              --Lois McNicol