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Identity (Psychology). Juvenile fiction.
Sexual minorities. Juvenile fiction.
Asexual people. Juvenile fiction.
Middle schools. Juvenile fiction.
Friendship. Juvenile fiction.
Identity. Fiction.
Asexual people. Fiction.
Sexual minorities. Fiction.
Middle schools. Fiction.
Schools. Fiction.
Friendship. Fiction.
Clubs. Fiction.
Starred Review Eleven-year-old sixth-grader Rick's best friend ever is Jeff, who, let's face it, is a bit of a jerk. Aside from being a troublemaker, Jeff objectifies girls, one of them being a new girl, Melissa. At least Rick thinks she's new, until he realizes that he has known her since she was the protagonist of Gino's first novel, George (2015). "I'm a girl," she tells Rick, "a transgender girl." Rick realizes he isn't sure what he is, though. Is he gay? He doesn't like boys that way, but then, he doesn't like girls that way either. Thinking it might help him decide, he attends a meeting of the Rainbow Spectrum, a club for LGBTQIAP+ rights. He keeps this a secret from Jeff, of course. Meanwhile, Rick begins spending time with his grandfather, who, it turns out, has a secret of his own. Grandpa Ray tells him that Jeff is, indeed, a jerk, and then Jeff does something that proves it. Will that end his friendship with Rick? And what is Grandpa Ray's secret? Gino handles the answers deftly and manages their material about children's identities beautifully. Like George (2015), this is an important, innovative, well-plotted book that invites a large readership.
Starred Review for Kirkus ReviewsAs he explores his identity and finds his footing in middle school, a sixth grader stands up to his bully best friend.White, cisgender boys Rick and Jeff have been best friends since the third grade. When they're alone, Jeff shares his video games, but at school Jeff picks on other kids and talks about girls with ostentatious lasciviousness. Despite their connection, Rick knows he can't tell Jeff that he wants to join their school's Rainbow Spectrum, a safe space for LGBTQIAP+ students, or that he's questioning his own sexuality. The more Rick learns about himself, the more he realizes he needs to hold Jeff accountable for his behavior. An honest relationship develops between Rick and his cosplay-loving grandfather. Grandpa Ray reassures and supports Rick when he comes out as asexual. Adults in the story model moments of vulnerability and admit mistakes. Gino seamlessly introduces language to describe a variety of sexualities and gender identities through the perspective of Rick, who is learning many of the words for the first time. Although the book shares characters with Gino's Stonewall Award-winning George (2015), it stands alone. The cast (including students of color) represents a spectrum of genders and sexualities with an emphasis on self-identification and encouragement of exploration.A game-changing ace. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-13)
School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)Gr 3-7 In Gino's companion novel to George , readers meet Rick Ramsey. Rick usually goes along with what his best friend Jeff wants to do. Rick also loves when Jeff approves of his choices and ideas. They just started sixth grade together and Rick is prepared for Jeff to make fun of other kids at school or stare at girls and make suggestive comments about them. On the first day, Rick befriends Melissa Mitchell, who he recognizes from elementary school. He also remembers Jeff bullied Melissa for years. Rick's parents repeatedly ask him about cute girls or boys, which makes him uncomfortable. He wishes his older sister Diane was around to eat popcorn and watch TV withshe wouldn't ask him about girls or boys. Neither does Grandpa Ray, who Rick doesn't know well. After spending consistent time together, he and Grandpa Ray become close. Unexpectedly, Rick finds he can be his true self with his grandpa. In addition to spending time with Grandpa Ray, Rick starts attending meetings at his school's Rainbow Spectrum club. He develops a better knowledge and understanding of his asexual identity, and what kind of friendships he truly needs and deserves. VERDICT An enlightening and important novel about a young person's experience with asexuality. A required purchase for middle grade collections. Jess Gafkowitz, Brooklyn Public Library
Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)As he explores his identity and finds his footing in middle school, a sixth grader stands up to his bully best friend.White, cisgender boys Rick and Jeff have been best friends since the third grade. When they're alone, Jeff shares his video games, but at school Jeff picks on other kids and talks about girls with ostentatious lasciviousness. Despite their connection, Rick knows he can't tell Jeff that he wants to join their school's Rainbow Spectrum, a safe space for LGBTQIAP+ students, or that he's questioning his own sexuality. The more Rick learns about himself, the more he realizes he needs to hold Jeff accountable for his behavior. An honest relationship develops between Rick and his cosplay-loving grandfather. Grandpa Ray reassures and supports Rick when he comes out as asexual. Adults in the story model moments of vulnerability and admit mistakes. Gino seamlessly introduces language to describe a variety of sexualities and gender identities through the perspective of Rick, who is learning many of the words for the first time. Although the book shares characters with Gino's Stonewall Award-winning George (2015), it stands alone. The cast (including students of color) represents a spectrum of genders and sexualities with an emphasis on self-identification and encouragement of exploration.A game-changing ace. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-13)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)In this standalone companion to Gino-s
Starred Review ALA Booklist
Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews
Starred Review for Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)
Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
From the award-winning author of Melissa, the story of a boy named Rick who needs to explore his own identity apart from his jerk of a best friend.
Rick joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!
Rick's never questioned much. He's gone along with his best friend Jeff even when Jeff's acted like a bully and a jerk. He's let his father joke with him about which hot girls he might want to date even though that kind of talk always makes him uncomfortable. And he hasn't given his own identity much thought, because everyone else around him seemed to have figured it out.
But now Rick's gotten to middle school, and new doors are opening. One of them leads to the school's Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities congregate, including Melissa, the girl who sits in front of Rick in class and seems to have her life together. Rick wants his own life to be that... understood. Even if it means breaking some old friendships and making some new ones.
As they did in their groundbreaking novel Melissa, in Rick, award-winning author Alex Gino explores what it means to search for your own place in the world . . . and all the steps you and the people around you need to take in order to get where you need to be.