Melissa

Parents need to know that Melissa is a novel about a transgender fourth grader called George who increasingly learns to be herself and to tell others about her secret. Along the way, she finds many supportive advocates, but her greatest ally is her best friend, Kelly. Some kids taunt Melissa, and she's called a freak and gets punched by a bullying student. Some people, such as Melissa's older brother Scott, assume that Melissa is a gay boy, but she says she doesn't "know who she liked, really, boys or girls." The book was formerly titled George, but in 2021, at the author's request, it was retitled and republished as Melissa, to respect the main character's identity. The novel deals with gender identity, but there's no sexual activity. Scott mentions looking at porn and "dirty" magazines as something boys do. Young readers who don't know what the word "porn" means may be inclined to look it up. Parents and teachers can use this book to talk about a wide variety of topics, including what it means to be transgender and to how to stand up for someone being bullied. Editor's note: In the story, Melissa's older brother shows her how to clear the browsing history after using their mom's computer. Melissa then does this after searching the internet for transgender information. In the Common Sense K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum we advise families and educators to empower kids to think critically about the websites they visit. However, families may choose to review their kids' browsing history to make sure they're making safe choices online.