Review: Melissa's Story by Alex Gino

George by Alex Gino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Finished on June 8, 2021

Favorite Scene/Quote: Scott finding out about Melissa

I’ve owned this book for a couple of years now or so and I only just got around to reading it. For a bit of context: I am an adult and this is a middle-grade children’s book. That being said, this book was good. I absolutely loved it and it felt very authentic. Anyone who reads this should know that there is going to be a lot of deadnaming and misgendering, even the title is technically deadnaming. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you might want to avoid this.
    
Melissa is a girl, but she is perceived by everyone else as a boy named George. She doesn’t think she has anyone she can talk to about this secret. She can’t tell her family or even Kelly, her best friend. Their class has been reading Charlotte’s Web and they’re going to put on a play based on the book soon. Melissa wants nothing more than to play Charlotte, but her teacher won’t let her try out for the part because she believe Melissa is a boy.

This book is excellent. I will freely admit that there were points that made me cry. This book is amazing when it comes to showing how Melissa is feeling about everything. I can’t give enough credit to the fact that this book felt so authentic. I felt Melissa’s pain when people kept deadnaming her or using the wrong pronouns. Alex Gino did a great job when they wrote her emotions.

I adore several characters from this book. Melissa is so easy to love and care for. I genuinely just wanted her to be able to play Charlotte and be safe. Her best friend Kelly is amazing. She handles everything so well, especially considering they are fourth(?) graders. Scott has probably one of my favorite reactions to someone coming out ever. Melissa’s mother is confused, but you can tell that she loves Melissa so much. Also, I want more about the principal. I need more about this supportive adult character.

I honestly think this book is a really good way to introduce what it means to be transgender to younger (late elementary, early middle school) kids. It’s written in a way where you get to see how Melissa feels and you even get to understand some of what she has to struggle with in terms of coming out.

This book hurts at times, at least it did for me. But never in a horrible way. It hurts to see what Melissa has to struggle with. The bullying and deadnaming and misgendering. The doubts and fears. It hurts, but it works so well.

I highly recommend this to anyone, but especially if you have children or teach children. This is such a good book that tackles such a sensitive topic with grace and respect. The author has a second book out about Rick and I’m going to read it eventually.

Seriously, you should check this book out.