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Green
From the bestselling author of MELISSA, a new book putting a non-binary kid named Green at center stage. Middle-grade superstar author Alex Gino returns to the world they began with MELISSA and RICK with GREEN, the story of a non-binary middle-schooler named Green who comes into their own in no small part by fighting for gender-free casting in their school’s production of THE WIZARD OF OZ.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2023
23 people are currently reading
2049 people want to read
About the author
Alex Gino
11 books954 followersAlex Gino loves glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive.
Gino is genderqueer and uses singular they pronouns and the honorific Mx.
Gino is genderqueer and uses singular they pronouns and the honorific Mx.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
June 19, 2023
Third in the lightly connected series that began with Melissa, Green follows a nonbinary seventh grader as they deal with the sort of basic problems that make middle school difficult even if you're not queer. Green personally is struggling with two specific issues: they have a crush on a boy who isn't sure if he's straight or not and they're debating whether or not to take hormone blockers. Green is secure in their identity but conflicted about their AFAB body, and even as a cis woman, I found it very relatable. Green's reaction to menarche is one of the most realistic depictions I've ever read (sorry, Judy Blume); they struggle with the overall grossness of it while wishing that just that part of an AFAB body could go away, because they rather like their curves. It's a piece of the gender puzzle that doesn't get a lot of treatment in fiction, and while we absolutely need period-positive books, we also need stories like this that remind us that we can love our bodies but still hate some of the things they do.
Green isn't quite as in-depth as Melissa or Rick, but it's still an excellent, important piece of queer middle grade fiction. As the book points out, we don't all fit into neat boxes or even labels, and WHO we are is more important than WHAT we are. We all need to hear that sometimes, especially in middle school. Bless Alex Gino for saying it in so many ways.
Green isn't quite as in-depth as Melissa or Rick, but it's still an excellent, important piece of queer middle grade fiction. As the book points out, we don't all fit into neat boxes or even labels, and WHO we are is more important than WHAT we are. We all need to hear that sometimes, especially in middle school. Bless Alex Gino for saying it in so many ways.
May 2, 2024
Alex Gino is so preachy it’s become funny. It’s gotten to the point where I actually enjoy hate reading these books.
Here are my top three sentences from this one:
“Mx. Abrams directed everyone to gather their
things, and once they were ready, she escorted them
out, like a herd of queer sheep.”
“Maybe they would wear something
sparkly to be a nonbinary scarecrow.”
“Green felt good to know
they weren't unwillingly headbanging to some het-
eronormative love story…”
A herd of queer sheep?! Hahahahaha!
Here are my top three sentences from this one:
“Mx. Abrams directed everyone to gather their
things, and once they were ready, she escorted them
out, like a herd of queer sheep.”
“Maybe they would wear something
sparkly to be a nonbinary scarecrow.”
“Green felt good to know
they weren't unwillingly headbanging to some het-
eronormative love story…”
A herd of queer sheep?! Hahahahaha!
July 4, 2023
I usually like Gino’s books but this one felt lazy. I didn’t see much character development for Green or their Dad. I kept wondering if I’d missed a previous book. How did Green come to be adopted? Where was Mom? Was there a Mom or did Dad adopt as a single Dad!? And it probably shouldn’t matter but it drove me crazy that there was no explanation of Green’s name. Why Green? I can’t be the only person wondering that. Too many holes, very thin, overused plot. Meh.
March 23, 2025
A very sweet middle grade book about Green, a non-binary sixth grader who has their first crush. Greens relationship with their dad was so sweet and special, and I loved revisiting the world of Melissa!
February 4, 2024
this was pretty cute & fun! it felt like it was written for a younger audience than some of Alex Gino’s other books (which are middle grade anyway) so that made it harder to get into. unfortunately i didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as Rick or Melissa, which i definitely recommend, but overall it was decent :)
March 29, 2024
Cute! And a VERY positive NB story! Queer joy all around to the max. It brought in some previous stories like Melissa and Rick. The plot was fine but Green was very likable and anyone can connect with the drama they go through.
A much simpler MG story, though. Definitely more for the 4th - 6th grade crowd. I’d recommend it to younger MG readers though because it was good!
A much simpler MG story, though. Definitely more for the 4th - 6th grade crowd. I’d recommend it to younger MG readers though because it was good!
August 10, 2023
A fabulous story about a non-binary adolescent and their journey to self discovery.
The story told here is important for anyone to read. It asks the reader to challenge what they know about lgbtq+ youth, and explores the realities of growing up queer in todays society with support.
Green’s journey with self discovery is insightful for anyone interested in what life may be like for non-binary identifying youth, and brings up many topics that most wouldn’t think about.
I think my only gripe with the book is the story itself. It isn’t compelling and is pretty shallow in regards to the weight of the decisions that are to be made. I personally am just too old to care about crushes that would appeal to this reading group. But that being said, Ronnie ended up being a character that has his own growth and development that brings up a lot of questions of their own.
This is the first of Gino’s work I’ve read, and I plan to go back and read “Melissa” and “Rick” after enjoying their cameos in “Green”.
The story told here is important for anyone to read. It asks the reader to challenge what they know about lgbtq+ youth, and explores the realities of growing up queer in todays society with support.
Green’s journey with self discovery is insightful for anyone interested in what life may be like for non-binary identifying youth, and brings up many topics that most wouldn’t think about.
I think my only gripe with the book is the story itself. It isn’t compelling and is pretty shallow in regards to the weight of the decisions that are to be made. I personally am just too old to care about crushes that would appeal to this reading group. But that being said, Ronnie ended up being a character that has his own growth and development that brings up a lot of questions of their own.
This is the first of Gino’s work I’ve read, and I plan to go back and read “Melissa” and “Rick” after enjoying their cameos in “Green”.
December 10, 2023
Gino's books are a gift to today's middle grade readers, both queer and not, in the clear, age-appropriate way they share information about identity exploration and the world more broadly. In this book, we meet Green, a nonbinary seventh grader whose involvement in Rainbow Spectrum means they spend time with the characters from Gino's earlier books Melissa and Rick. Green's challenges are not those of an earlier generation of nonbinary kids; their name and pronouns are used both at home and at school, and they have plenty of queer peers and older role models. Instead, they're grappling with two main things: One, they have a crush on a kid who seems to like them back but then calls himself cishet, so does he not actually like them like that, or worse, does he like them but see them as a girl? And two, their body is changing with puberty, and they have the option of hormone blockers, but they're not sure whether that's the right route for them. I absolutely love that we've moved beyond queer stories that are solely about coming out, and I love the inclusive, diverse world that populates Gino's stories.
I'd definitely give this story to a nonbinary middle grade reader, but as an adult reader I didn't feel it was as strong as Gino's earlier books in this same universe, in part because Gino was trying to do a lot: Depict the challenges of a nonbinary middle schooler, yes, but also provide updates on the characters from their previous books, share queer history, and discuss possible ways to update old artistic works (in this case, the musical The Wizard of Oz) for greater inclusivity. I think all of this is important, but it did dilute the impact of Green's central plot lines and made the resolution(s) feel slightly rushed.
All that said, I'd spend more time in Alex Gino's worlds any day, where people look out for one another and find creative and loving ways to build community. This may not be *the* nonbinary middle grade book, but the good news is, it doesn't have to be, and I'm glad for what this adds to the conversation.
I'd definitely give this story to a nonbinary middle grade reader, but as an adult reader I didn't feel it was as strong as Gino's earlier books in this same universe, in part because Gino was trying to do a lot: Depict the challenges of a nonbinary middle schooler, yes, but also provide updates on the characters from their previous books, share queer history, and discuss possible ways to update old artistic works (in this case, the musical The Wizard of Oz) for greater inclusivity. I think all of this is important, but it did dilute the impact of Green's central plot lines and made the resolution(s) feel slightly rushed.
All that said, I'd spend more time in Alex Gino's worlds any day, where people look out for one another and find creative and loving ways to build community. This may not be *the* nonbinary middle grade book, but the good news is, it doesn't have to be, and I'm glad for what this adds to the conversation.
December 1, 2023
Another wholesome and expansive middle-grade novel by Alex Gino! I loved seeing how Melissa and Rick have grown and changed since their titular books. Green's is a lovely story about one nonbinary middle-schooler that was very clear that there is no singular enby or trans experience. It's a little wild to me that I've only (very) recently learned that nonbinary folx might use he/him or she/her pronouns... glad to see that representation here!
October 3, 2023
Alex Gino? 5 stars. My only minor gripe is wanted MORE of this one.
January 21, 2024
I absolutely love that Alex Gino writes books intended for a middle grade audience but specifically writes about characters that many children probably don't see in other books! In this story, we meet Green Gibson who identifies as non-binary. We do see some characters return from previous books as they are all part of the rainbow spectrum club but this book focuses on Green and his identity. The world is changing but many still do not fully understand what it means for someone to identify as non-binary. This becomes even more of conversation when the school decides to perform The Wizard of Oz where all characters are either male or female. What does this mean for someone like Green?
In addition to this story line, Green is also dealing with two other major dilemmas: crushing on a boy who they aren't sure is straight or not and debating whether or not to start hormone blockers. Once again, these are dilemmas that many other adolescents might be dealing with today and Gino writes this story with a lot of heart and information. Many students will learn a lot from this book whether or not everything applies to them.
This story is not as in-depth as Melissa or Rick but it is still a great piece of queer middle grade fiction. One thing that this books stresses in many different ways is that we don't all fit into neat boxes or even labels, and who you are is more important than what you are. This book really puts out the message that we must love our bodies and our personalities as they are since we are all special and unique and putting a label on ourselves isn't always what is best for us. Thank you Alex Gino for another wonderful book for middle graders on a very important topic.
In addition to this story line, Green is also dealing with two other major dilemmas: crushing on a boy who they aren't sure is straight or not and debating whether or not to start hormone blockers. Once again, these are dilemmas that many other adolescents might be dealing with today and Gino writes this story with a lot of heart and information. Many students will learn a lot from this book whether or not everything applies to them.
This story is not as in-depth as Melissa or Rick but it is still a great piece of queer middle grade fiction. One thing that this books stresses in many different ways is that we don't all fit into neat boxes or even labels, and who you are is more important than what you are. This book really puts out the message that we must love our bodies and our personalities as they are since we are all special and unique and putting a label on ourselves isn't always what is best for us. Thank you Alex Gino for another wonderful book for middle graders on a very important topic.
December 15, 2024
For whatever reason, since the election, I have been in a bit of a reading slump... okay, a big one. It has been difficult for me to focus on much besides the doom scrolling. I can say happily that "Green" by Alex Gino seems to have broken the slump, in no small part because it reminds me of the hope of change as opposed to spotting the dread everywhere.
I would consider myself a big Alex Gino fan, their books "Melissa" and "Rick" both being 5-star reads for me, and "Alice Austen Lived Here" a solid 4-star (I don't love "star ratings" but that's the system we seem to live in). Gino's books are important, are necessary. I can't count the times I have recommended the book "Melissa" to people who claim not to "get" trans issues, and "Rick" of being ACE (which isn't written about enough).
"Green" is set in the same world, indeed, the same school as "Melissa" and "Rick", who appear as supporting characters. In fact, Green attends the Rainbow Spectrum at their school with Melissa and Rick, a club for LGBTQIA+ students and allies. Green is nonbinary, and we are told has a pretty great life--- a supportive Dad who makes great pancakes and listens to Metallica, plenty of friends and friendly neighbors, and more often than not, is accepted for who they are. The biggest issues for Green is their changing body and wondering if puberty blockers are right for them (especially after they get their first period), but, even more importantly for the book, Green has a major crush on Ronnie, who attends Rainbow Spectrum as an ally, a self-proclaimed "cis het" guy. Is Green setting themselves up for heartache, crushing on someone who is straight?
As always, Gino is enjoyable to read, and brings up important topics in way that younger people (and frankly many older people) can read and understand.
Having said this, unlike Gino's other books, this one took a while to get going for me, and in many ways, felt like there was some unnecessary padding within. For me, it felt like Green wasn't as fully developed a character as Melissa or Rick, and, until their first period, I didn't really invest in them the way I had for Gino's other protagonists.
While I may not have loved this like the others, I did like it very much, and really applaud the work Gino does. Especially now. Their books are more important than ever, and it makes me sad to wonder how many schools will have to take them off of shelves. If the same people who want to ban such books actually read them, they would learn how unnecessary and ridiculous it is to cause such an uproar about sweet, funny books that happen to represent kids who don't get represented enough.
I would consider myself a big Alex Gino fan, their books "Melissa" and "Rick" both being 5-star reads for me, and "Alice Austen Lived Here" a solid 4-star (I don't love "star ratings" but that's the system we seem to live in). Gino's books are important, are necessary. I can't count the times I have recommended the book "Melissa" to people who claim not to "get" trans issues, and "Rick" of being ACE (which isn't written about enough).
"Green" is set in the same world, indeed, the same school as "Melissa" and "Rick", who appear as supporting characters. In fact, Green attends the Rainbow Spectrum at their school with Melissa and Rick, a club for LGBTQIA+ students and allies. Green is nonbinary, and we are told has a pretty great life--- a supportive Dad who makes great pancakes and listens to Metallica, plenty of friends and friendly neighbors, and more often than not, is accepted for who they are. The biggest issues for Green is their changing body and wondering if puberty blockers are right for them (especially after they get their first period), but, even more importantly for the book, Green has a major crush on Ronnie, who attends Rainbow Spectrum as an ally, a self-proclaimed "cis het" guy. Is Green setting themselves up for heartache, crushing on someone who is straight?
As always, Gino is enjoyable to read, and brings up important topics in way that younger people (and frankly many older people) can read and understand.
Having said this, unlike Gino's other books, this one took a while to get going for me, and in many ways, felt like there was some unnecessary padding within. For me, it felt like Green wasn't as fully developed a character as Melissa or Rick, and, until their first period, I didn't really invest in them the way I had for Gino's other protagonists.
While I may not have loved this like the others, I did like it very much, and really applaud the work Gino does. Especially now. Their books are more important than ever, and it makes me sad to wonder how many schools will have to take them off of shelves. If the same people who want to ban such books actually read them, they would learn how unnecessary and ridiculous it is to cause such an uproar about sweet, funny books that happen to represent kids who don't get represented enough.
October 11, 2023
It was good! I thought it was weird that like 12 year olds were like making out at the end. It was 3.5, to be honest I will most likely never read it again.
I liked the Rainbow Spectrum parts, and Green is a very likeable character. I thought it was cool how they talked about their period, and they are just cute and funny overall. I feel as though Alex Gino’s next book should be in the perspective of Robbie. I feel like we don’t know him very well in this book?
I have read all of Gino’s books, and Rick is my personal favorite. (I probably have a biased opinion because I am asexual, but I am also enby and did not find Green as amazing as some of the other books I am reading.)
Honestly, this book was up and down. Part of me feels, “Green is a loveable non-binary character!” While the other part of me thinks “meh.”
I liked the Rainbow Spectrum parts, and Green is a very likeable character. I thought it was cool how they talked about their period, and they are just cute and funny overall. I feel as though Alex Gino’s next book should be in the perspective of Robbie. I feel like we don’t know him very well in this book?
I have read all of Gino’s books, and Rick is my personal favorite. (I probably have a biased opinion because I am asexual, but I am also enby and did not find Green as amazing as some of the other books I am reading.)
Honestly, this book was up and down. Part of me feels, “Green is a loveable non-binary character!” While the other part of me thinks “meh.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2023
I have been following Alex Gino's work since they were first published. They provide a voice to our upper elementary and middle school readers who are either part of the LBGTQIA+ community or want to learn more about it. Their authentic voice makes the characters jump off the page. Green is the story of a non binary character thinking about questions focused on belonging, identity, and relationships. I enjoyed being part of the Rainbow Spectrum meetings, thinking about the discussions Green and their peers were having. Gino writes with honesty and heart and the story of Green sparkles and shines! Huge shout out to Scholastic for daring greatly and including this title in the Scholastic summer box!
October 22, 2024
This is the second sequel to Melissa. This time we follow Green, an enby (non-binary). This one hit a little closer to home as my child considers themself to be non-binary. Green is AFAB (assigned female at birth). They are struggling with their identity as their body goes through its first menstrual cycle and they become interested in one of their classmates, a cis-het boy. There is a lot of focus on the plot point of a preparing for a school musical, Wizard of Oz, and trying to make it more gender-inclusive. I was a little less interested in that particular plot point, which is why I went with 4 stars rather than 5 stars for this one.
June 28, 2023
This one didn’t make me cry as much as Rick, but it definitely put me in my feels. This whole series is beautifully simple and Green follows suit. Alex Gino is really a master at writing books that children will connect with and that will speak to the kids that queer adults once were. These books make me want to find box sets and buy them in bulk to give to the young people in my life. Absolutely lovely.
August 15, 2023
We need more books that have a variety of representation and Alex has done it again! Including Melissa and Rick from their other two novels, Green adds in a non-binary pre teen, talks about some of the more difficult parts of being non binary and included yet another supportive family behind them! Love these books!
July 2, 2025
This was a sweet story about Green, a transgender boy and his friends in the Rainbow Spectrum. They refer to themselves as QUILTBAG+. The middle school is putting on "Wizard of Oz" and Green has a crush on their friend.
December 19, 2023
Reading about a non-binary character helps me get use to hearing and seeing they pronouns so I can use them correctly.
July 29, 2024
It felt like something was missing
June 29, 2025
It wasn’t the best I’ll tell ya that. But I still couldn’t stop reading it. - Romy, 8
August 22, 2025
THE BEST ALEX GINO BOOK EVER CREATED!!!!
November 28, 2023
Wonderfully important and charming story of a well-adjusted non-binary middle schooler who is finding themselves with the help of supportive family, friends and educators.
May 3, 2025
Green
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.28/10 overall
Characters - 7
Atmosphere - 7
Writing - 6
Plot - 6
Intrigue - 6
Logic - 6
Enjoyment - 6
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.28/10 overall
Characters - 7
Atmosphere - 7
Writing - 6
Plot - 6
Intrigue - 6
Logic - 6
Enjoyment - 6
April 9, 2025
Set in the same universe as Gino’s other middle grade books, this one features Green, a nonbinary tween and the school’s production of The wizard of Oz. I loved how the “Rainbow” kids fought to modernize the play, creating non gendered characters (ie the Scarecrow) and replacing the flying monkeys. Green also deals with some tough stuff including getting their first period. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Steven Salvatore’s Can’t take that away.
October 11, 2025
I know and adore the author, so I'm biased. This was a quick read, shorter and not quite as deep as Alex's other books, and still a delight to read. I wanted another half of the book when I finished. Queers writing queer books, especially for kids, make my day.
November 25, 2023
“Don't ever, for any reason, do anything for anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what. No matter where. Or who, or who you are with, or where you are going or... or where you've been... ever. For any reason, whatsoever.”
-- Michael Scott
~~an unstructured review~~
My biggest problem with Alex Gino's writing is that their idealized queer world is so... insipid. A safe, welcoming world is one thing, and something I'd love to see, but Gino's queer world is bland, sanitized... lifeless.
The queer characters are almost wholly defined by their queerness; I say "almost" because Gino occasionally puts in the token effort to actually give their characters personalities, but in the laziest way possible ("X likes superhero stuff. Y wears striped shirts. Z has a nice smile."). Cishet characters repeatedly self-identify as cishet and, when they are allies (and most of the straight characters are), stress this fact ad nauseum.
As I stated in my negative review of Alice Austen Lived Here, Gino's presentation of queerness feels like a parody. They're so preoccupied with depicting a safe, queer-friendly world that they forget to occupy that world with, y'know, characters.
Gino clearly genuinely cares about their characters, but it feels like we're supposed to love and care about them from the start, because they're queer. The characters are set dressing. They're tags on Archive of Our Own.
Green is the main character and I can barely describe them. They have green hair. They like classic Metallica. They have a crush on Ronnie. That's mostly it.
(Also the Metallica thing is funny because that's totally the only metal band Gino knows. Green and their dad both love heavy metal but literally the only band they ever talk about is Metallica.)
As is often the case with Gino's post-Rick writing, I can't figure out the intended audience age. The characters are middle schoolers but the writing level is better suited for elementary-level readers, like third grade at the highest.
Another issue I've noticed with Gino's more recent writing is that everyone sounds the same. You could switch the speakers for most of the group dialogue scenes (and there are an awful lot) and almost nothing would change.
When the characters aren't OMG sooooooo QuIrKy™ they're directly addressing the audience to explain what queerness. If you've ever watched a training video for work, you'll notice that the characters often incorporate the very specific terminology they've just learned into their everyday dialogue ("It sounds like you were a victim of quid pro quo harassment!"). That's the level of dialogue we're talking about here.
Oh, and Green is kinda crappy to Ronnie about his sexuality at one point. Like, if someone is uncomfortable talking about their complicated feelings about their sexuality, leave them alone. Don't keep bringing it up because you have a crush on them. This may have been a deliberate choice on Gino's part, a way to put Green in the wrong for a while, but it came off as weird, because Green and their classmates are otherwise pathologically obsessed with never offending anyone.
I can't say I was insulted by this. It was too bland and harmless to offend me. And I like that it was (sort of) a romantic story starring a nonbinary protagonist. And of course I appreciate that Gino is trying to create a safe, loving world for queer kids. But outside of being safe, and warm, and welcoming, there's not much to this. It feels hollow, and I don't think it was intended to be. I think
this was written with a lot of love. I would have loved to have grown up in the world Gino envisions.
And I'll be honest, I think I'm a different sort of queer than Gino. As I was reading I couldn't help but feel that, given my disposition and interests, I, funnily enough, probably would not have a place in their fictional world.
But you know what? There wasn't a single belly bump in the whole thing, and that automatically puts it leagues ahead of Alice Austen Lived Here.
FINAL VERDICT: Disappointing, but harmless. Recommended for fans of Melissa and Rick (the title characters both appear in this, by the way) and for young, queer (or queer-friendly) readers looking for a cozy, unchallenging read.
November 18, 2023
I enjoyed reading Alex Gino's GREEN, and wholeheartedly recommend it to all open-minded readers, middle school or older. It reminded me that we all have struggled with our self-image and the roles we take on in life. I wished that I could see THE WIZARD OF OZ with non-binary roles and a change in the flying monkeys. It would have been splendid, and I love these students, who reminded me of my own creative scholars, especially in the caring and respect they show one another.
I’m hoping that books like this (MELISSA, RICK) will help my old-school grammatical mind learn to use singular they. I'll also make use of a friend's practice of just avoiding pronouns, as was done in "Survivor Ship.” People should be called what they want to be called.
Also new to me (and perhaps easier to get right): QUILTBAG, an acronym for Queer/Questioning, Undecided, Intersex, Lesbian, Transgender/Transsexual, Bisexuals, Allied/Asexual, Gay/Genderqueer
Also new to me (and perhaps easier to get right): QUILTBAG, an acronym for Queer/Questioning, Undecided, Intersex, Lesbian, Transgender/Transsexual, Bisexuals, Allied/Asexual, Gay/Genderqueer
June 28, 2024
Just not that good as a story
I read this with my 5th grade daughter so we could discuss the concepts if she had questions. She loved Rick, although I didn’t read that one with her. A lot of reviews on this book seem to be driven by whatever side of the culture war you are on, but I’ll just say that this book just isn’t great. It’s heavy on concepts and light on any sort of story. It feels like a bunch of anecdotes tied together with a very light overarching plot. The mental gymnastics that are done to basically turn non-issues into most of the challenges for the characters to overcome are huge, and that reduces the impact you might feel when they are resolved. The way the author uses they/them pronouns without better context required constant re-reading anytime multiple characters were present. My daughter especially found this frustrating.
The best way I could describe this book is that it felt like the compliance videos you have to watch every year for work. The acting isn’t good and the situations are outrageously exaggerated or improbable, but that’s because entertainment is not the primary purpose. Agree or disagree with the concepts, its primary purpose is education. For kids, how should you talk about these subjects, how high a priority should this be, and what lingo should you use? For adults, which was more of a mixed bag, listen with an open mind, but apparently without asking for any amount of critical thinking when a kid makes a claim such as saying the monkeys in the wizard of oz are racist.
Neither of us enjoyed reading this particular book, but I’m glad we read it together. I’m not sure we would have discussed these topics otherwise. My daughter would say that Rick would be a better book for that though. Some of this content can definitely be uncomfortable, hard to read, or nuanced. It also graphically describes the main character having her first period. I would probably not recommend it for young children if you aren’t going to proactively discuss it with them or they aren’t mature enough to truly grasp the concepts.
I read this with my 5th grade daughter so we could discuss the concepts if she had questions. She loved Rick, although I didn’t read that one with her. A lot of reviews on this book seem to be driven by whatever side of the culture war you are on, but I’ll just say that this book just isn’t great. It’s heavy on concepts and light on any sort of story. It feels like a bunch of anecdotes tied together with a very light overarching plot. The mental gymnastics that are done to basically turn non-issues into most of the challenges for the characters to overcome are huge, and that reduces the impact you might feel when they are resolved. The way the author uses they/them pronouns without better context required constant re-reading anytime multiple characters were present. My daughter especially found this frustrating.
The best way I could describe this book is that it felt like the compliance videos you have to watch every year for work. The acting isn’t good and the situations are outrageously exaggerated or improbable, but that’s because entertainment is not the primary purpose. Agree or disagree with the concepts, its primary purpose is education. For kids, how should you talk about these subjects, how high a priority should this be, and what lingo should you use? For adults, which was more of a mixed bag, listen with an open mind, but apparently without asking for any amount of critical thinking when a kid makes a claim such as saying the monkeys in the wizard of oz are racist.
Neither of us enjoyed reading this particular book, but I’m glad we read it together. I’m not sure we would have discussed these topics otherwise. My daughter would say that Rick would be a better book for that though. Some of this content can definitely be uncomfortable, hard to read, or nuanced. It also graphically describes the main character having her first period. I would probably not recommend it for young children if you aren’t going to proactively discuss it with them or they aren’t mature enough to truly grasp the concepts.
June 28, 2024
-it said it was supposed to be middle grade but the writing was very childish and seemed like something a fifth grader would write
-too…inclusive? idk just too many different characters. like diversity is good but this was just too much
-i am surprised there were so few straight characters, and the straight ones all knew “cishet” which was weird
-no antagonist
-the “middle schoolers” did not seem like middle schoolers at all, they were a little stupid and made terrible jokes (i.e. “thespian” brother eww)
-there were not really enough issues in the book
-THERE WAS INCORRECT PRONOUN USE. for example on page 98 jay was referred to as “he” and also at one point mx. abrams was called “she”. this book definitely needed more editing.
-there weren’t many pan or ace characters as far as i could tell besides Rick who is ace (my favorite character tbh)
so honestly not that good, i expected better, 1.5 but rounded up. in this series rick was the best
-too…inclusive? idk just too many different characters. like diversity is good but this was just too much
-i am surprised there were so few straight characters, and the straight ones all knew “cishet” which was weird
-no antagonist
-the “middle schoolers” did not seem like middle schoolers at all, they were a little stupid and made terrible jokes (i.e. “thespian” brother eww)
-there were not really enough issues in the book
-THERE WAS INCORRECT PRONOUN USE. for example on page 98 jay was referred to as “he” and also at one point mx. abrams was called “she”. this book definitely needed more editing.
-there weren’t many pan or ace characters as far as i could tell besides Rick who is ace (my favorite character tbh)
so honestly not that good, i expected better, 1.5 but rounded up. in this series rick was the best
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