Rick

by Alex Gino Narrated by Alex Gino

Overview

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'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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P!:

* "Gino's sophomore effort is every bit as affecting and important as their first novel." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "[You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P!'s] thoughtful handling of characters and dynamics offers fodder for further discussion about privilege in all its forms." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "A necessary and rewarding addition to any middle-grade collection." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Praise for Melissa:

Winner of the Children's Stonewall Award

Winner of the Lambda Literary Award

A Children's Choice Book Awards Debut Author

* "Profound, moving, and — as Charlotte would say — radiant, this book will stay with anyone lucky enough to find it." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Warm, funny, and inspiring." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "There is pain... but not without the promise of a better tomorrow." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "An appealing, thoroughly believable character and her best friend Kelly adds humor and zest." — Booklist, starred review

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2019-12-08
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)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172396557
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/21/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

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