Bibliography:Graff, Lisa. 2006. The Thing About Georgie. New York: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN 9780060875909Plot Summary: Georgie is in the fourth grade. He and his best friend, Andy, have their own dog walking business. Georgie has to walk the small dogs because he is a dwarf. He doesn't let this limit his life anymore than it has to. His life changes when his parents tell him that he is going to be a big brother to "a healthy baby". And then Andy starts to hang out with the new boy Russ. Georgie feels lost and alone. To top everything off he gets partnered with Jeanie the Meanie for a project. Georgie soon realizes that he was wrong about Russ and Jeanie and that you shouldn't judge people you don't really know.
Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers):
Lisa Graff brings awareness of dwarfism in her debut novel The Thing About Georgie. The story begins by asking the reader to “do me a favor”. It is a simple task: “Stretch your right arm high up to the sky. Now reach across the top of your head and touch your left ear.” This is something almost everyone can do without giving it a second thought. Georgie can’t. He couldn’t do it even if he wanted to. This introduction grabs the reader right from the start.
Some other things Georgie can’t do: wrap his arms around his bent legs and rest his head on his knees (a “thinking” position), tie shoelaces, and hold a pencil correctly. These are just small things thrown into the story every once in a while to make the reader understand Georgie a little better. If Georgie could “hold his pencil like any regular person and make it move where he wanted it to- he knew exactly what he’d get his parents for Christmas. He would draw a picture, a really beautiful one, of his mom and dad playing their instruments.”
The great thing about this book is that it doesn’t focus on what Georgie can’t do but rather on what he can do. His parents encourage him to sign up for the fourth-grade play. It is about the presidents, and Georgie really wants to play his namesake, George Washington. He has a dog-walking business with his best friend Andy. He can swim and ride his custom-made bicycle. And although he needs a pillow and a crate at his desk he is in a regular classroom at school. Not to mention that he is very smart!
Georgie was used to being stared at. It happened his whole life. He admits that he would probably stare at someone who was ten feet tall or someone who had green skin “just to make sure it was real”. He thought that maybe if people took a little bit of time looking at him they would realize “there was really nothing to look at but Georgie” and since he wasn’t all that interesting they would never have to stare at him again. Again, the reader is asked to do something. There is a drawing of Georgie on the page and the reader is supposed to “stare as hard as you can” for 30 seconds. The point being that it gets boring really quick and there are better things to do.
Every year at Christmas the family attends the early Christmas Eve service, then they eat roast beef sandwiches “because they’d be saving all the really difficult cooking for Christmas Day”, his parents play their favorite Christmas songs “just for him” and then Georgie is allowed to open one present before he goes to bed.
The biggest lesson Georgie learns is that he shouldn’t judge other people based on what they look like. He finds out the person he called ‘Jeanie the Meanie’ isn’t so mean after all. In fact, she really is a great person. She defends Georgie when another student calls him a midget. She tells him “he’s not a midget. Don’t call him that. He’s a dwarf.” and then she kicks him hard in the shin when he asks “then where’s Snow White?” He also judged the new kid Russ and didn’t want to be friends with him. After losing his best friend Andy over it Georgie decides to give Russ a chance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am glad that it is already in my collection. It has so many positive messages for readers, and it is really empowering. It will definitely be another one I “book talk” to my older students (3rd-5th).
Review Excerpt(s):
From School Library Journal
Grade 3–6—This story about the trials of a fourth grader who is a dwarf will entertain and enlighten kids. About to become a big brother, Georgie worries that the baby will grow bigger than he and fulfill his musician parents' hope for a child who can play an instrument. At the same time, Georgie fears that Andy, who's been his friend since kindergarten, likes the new boy better. When Georgie's parents leave him at Andy's house on Christmas Eve, he finds himself being unexpectedly cruel and losing the friendship. Georgie is also assigned to do a project on Abraham Lincoln with Jeanie the Meanie, who puts his name in for the role of the lanky president in a class play. Stuck with the nomination, he's able to give a commanding performance-with Jeanie's help. Andy lets Georgie know he misses him, and his loving parents, who have been somewhat oblivious to his concerns, also come through. Commentary to readers throughout about what Georgie can and can't do is delivered by an anonymous voice, whose identity is revealed as a surprise at the end.—Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
From Booklist
Nine-year-old Georgie has height issues. As a dwarf, he isn't likely to grow much taller than his current 42 inches. Consequently school furniture is awkward, running track or playing a musical instrument isn't possible, and he knows his soon-to-be new sibling will quickly outgrow him physically. To make matters worse, he's had a misunderstanding with his best friend, Andy, and is being forced to partner with Jeanie the Meanie for a school report. Given these circumstances, this might easily have been depressing. Instead, first novelist Graff employs a light touch, turning in a poignant, often funny exploration of what it means to celebrate one's skills rather than lamenting one's limitations. Graff makes good use of an anonymous narrator (revealed in the last chapter to be one of the book's main characters), who provides kid-friendly information about dwarfism. An upbeat and sensitive look at what it's like to be different, this novel will spark discussion. -Kay Weisman
Connections:
Discussion Questions and Activities:
*There are several activities you are asked to do throughout the book. Complete the activity at the beginning of chapter 3. (Measure the distance from the floor to the doorknob on your bedroom door, the light switch, the edge of your windowsill, etc.) Describe how Georgie would feel in your house.
*Explain at least 3 things you learned about dwarfism and/or the struggles they face.
*Why do you think Georgie didn't want Russ to join the dog-walking business?
*What were some misconceptions Georgie had about Jeanie? She was called "Jeanie the Meanie" at school. Do you think that name fit her? Why or why not?
*Create a presentation titled "The Thing About Me Is..." You need to write a 6-10 things about you. Try to include things we don't already know. You can use PowerPoint, Pixie, or Frames to create the presentation.
Other Books by Lisa Graff :
Umbrella Summer. ISBN 9780061431890
Sophie Simon Solves Them All. ISBN 9780374371258
The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower. ISBN 9780060875923
Double Dog Dare. (Coming April 2012.) ISBN 9780399255168
Other Books About Dwarfism:
*Trudi & Pia by Ursula Hegi. ISBN 9780689846830
*Thinking Big: The Story of a Young Dwarf by Susan Kuklin. ISBN 9780688058265
*Never Sell Yourself Short by Stephanie Riggs. ISBN 9780807555637
*Alex is my Friend by Marisabina Russo. ISBN 9780688104184
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