Friday Memes: George by Alex Gino

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

George by Alex Gino. 195 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., August 25, 2015. 9780545812542.

Publisher synopsis: 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.

First line: George pulled a silver house key out of the smallest pocket of a large red backpack.

Page 56: The air was filled with the buzz of a hundred students at recess, punctuated with yells, laughter, and, occasionally, Mrs. Fields's piercing whistle. She was a short, wrinkly prune of a woman with poofy gray hair who disapproved of everything and walked with a hunched back that made her look shorter and wrinklier than she already was.

This has received starred reviews from SLJ, PW and Kirkus as well as a ton of buzz on the interwebz. I was lucky to be invited to a Scholastic event at annual where a section of the story was performed in a reader's theater - so touching. I'm thrilled about the publication of this important book.