Why am I passionate about this?
Iām a trans parent of a trans teen. (I didnāt do it on purpose. It just worked out that way.) Iām always looking for books by trans authors that accurately reflect transgender experiences at every life stage, but particularly during middle school and the teen years. The books Iāve selected are my favorites because theyāre authenticāand because they let readers learn difficult, complicated lessons through fiction. When Iām not writing books, reading books, editing books, or eating books for dessert, Iām caring for my disabled dogs, dirt-biking with my kid, or drawing near an open window with a mug of green tea and some lo-fi beats.
Jules' book list on young adult and middle grade transgender stories
Why did Jules love this book?
This book is a milestone in transgender literature for kids. Published in 2015, it follows a fourth-graderās attempts to get classmates, teachers, parents, etc. to see past the surface: sheās a girl named Melissa, not a boy named George as everyone perceives. An argument often leveled against transgender kids is that they canāt know theyāre transgender because theyāre too young. This novel counters that by compassionately and realistically portraying a child who knows her identity from an early age, and it shows how devastating it is when the people who should love and support Melissa instead reject her assertion of her identity. It has a happy ending, but it leaves the reader thinking about how many transgender kids donāt get thatāthereby inspiring advocacy.
2 authors picked Melissa (Formerly Published as George) as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.
Formally titled George, this is the unforgettable
debut from Alex Gino
"Allow me to introduce you to a remarkable book, full of love,
wonder, hope, and the importance of getting to be who you were
meant to be. You must read this." - David Levithan, author
of Every Day and editor of George.
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.ā¦
- Coming soon!