Transgender Book for Kids

I must admit that I was a little hesitant about reading George, simply because I was worried about how the author would handle the issue of a transgender child to an elementary school audience.  I should not have worried.  Alex Gino has written a lovely book that is respectful to the reader and the main character.

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Title: George

Author: Alex Gino

Target: Grade 4-6

Series: No

What this book is about: 
George was born as a boy, but she sees herself as a girl.  While the world interacts with her as male, George desperately wants to play Charlotte in the fourth grade Charlotte’s Web play, in hopes that others will finally be able to see her for what she really is.  As she slowly tells others her secret, it isn’t always easy, but with the help of her best friend Kelly, she is able to start to become her authentic self.

Why I love this book: 
This book does a beautiful job of entering the world of a transgender child.  There are a lot of books out there that deal with this subject in Young Adult literature, but so few that touch on it at the elementary school level.  This book is honest, respectful and simply shows how one child thinks about the world and her gender.

The fact that the author uses the pronoun she when referring to George strengthens the reader’s identity with George as a girl. We also get a sense from the book that being gay is something that parents and friends find much more palatable, but being transgender is something that family members still struggle with.  At one point George’s mother seems very ready to accept George as gay, but not  “that kind of gay.”  And George doesn’t see herself as gay at all, she simply sees herself as female.

Who this book is for: 
This is a wonderful book for kids who are curious about the issue.  It’s straightforward but also kind and respectful to all the characters.  This issues and language are wholly appropriate for kids in grades 4-6.

Final thoughts:
A welcome addition that fills a void in kid’s literature.

To purchase this book:
Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: George  A portion of each purchase will go back to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.