I came across this title on a list of frequently banned books. It is a middle-grade novel about a transgender fourth grader, known to family and schoolmates as George. Early on, we learn that the character thinks of herself as Melissa, even though she hasn’t felt safe to share her gender identity with anyone. Melissa and her classmates are reading Charlotte’s Web in preparation for their upcoming school play. Melissa dreams of playing Charlotte and practices for the audition with her best friend, Kelly. The teacher is not open to Melissa playing a female role, so she opts to join the crew.
This book serves different purposes for different audiences. It shows trans kids that they are not alone and others share similar experiences. For cis kids, it encourages empathy and kindness to their trans peers. For parents and educators, it provides a glimpse into the life and mind of a trans child. Often children are afraid or unable to articulate their experiences. Those experiences are easier to see and understand when given a voice through fiction.
Melissa encounters bullying at school and gender-based expectations from family, and is never able to speak up, until one frustrating day when she tells Kelly who she really is. Taking the first step of telling one person sets off a chain reaction. It is a realistic (Melissa’s mom resists the news and seems distraught) and optimistic course of events. Eventually, Melissa feels the support of family and even gets a small taste of being her true self out in the world. Melissa works as education and therapy for trans kids and their communities.
A Therapist's Book Club 