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Gracefully Grayson
Escrito por Ami Polonsky
Narrado por Emily Beresford
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What if who you are on the outside doesn't match who you are on the inside?
Grayson Sender has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: "He" is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender's body. The weight of this secret is crushing, but sharing it would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Despite the risks, Grayson's true self itches to break free.
Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher's wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight she was born to inhabit?
Debut author Ami Polonsky's moving, beautifully written novel about identity, self-esteem, and friendship shines with the strength of a young person's spirit and the enduring power of acceptance.
Ações de livro
Comece a ouvirDados do livro
Gracefully Grayson
Escrito por Ami Polonsky
Narrado por Emily Beresford
Descrição
What if who you are on the outside doesn't match who you are on the inside?
Grayson Sender has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: "He" is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender's body. The weight of this secret is crushing, but sharing it would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Despite the risks, Grayson's true self itches to break free.
Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher's wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight she was born to inhabit?
Debut author Ami Polonsky's moving, beautifully written novel about identity, self-esteem, and friendship shines with the strength of a young person's spirit and the enduring power of acceptance.
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Avaliações
This is one I hope you give a try. Gracefully Grayson, by Ami Polonsky features 12 year old Grayson, who has known from the beginning that she is a girl in a boy's body. She also has learned that this is not "normal", and to hide the truth by imagining her loose pants and t-shirts to be gowns and dresses. In school, she's learned to draw unrecognizable (by others) princesses as she takes notes. It is becoming harder to sustain herself by imagination only, however, and she feels urges to come out of hiding. When she impulsively auditions for The Myth of Persephone, directed by Finn, her favorite teacher, her life begins to change. I won't spoil the story, but her actions trigger a cascade of problems, while at the same time she begins to find new, sympathetic friends among her fellow actors. Her quiet bravery as she tries to make her way through dangerous waters is moving, and real. No preaching, no improbably articulate ripostes, just a very believable young girl trying to deal with being in the wrong body, and trying to find a way to express her joy at who she really is in a world that resists.Bullying inevitably shows its face, but so does unexpected support, including at home. Her parents died in an accident, and she lives with her aunt and uncle. The latter legitimately struggle with concerns for her safety versus letting her be herself. It turns out her parents had something to say about all of it, too.This book is beautifully and simply composed. My wife teared up at chapter 34; some problem with our ventilation blurred my vision a bit sooner, at Chapter 31. The book is targeted at 10-14 year olds, but is one of those, like R.J. Palacio's Wonder, that should have appeal for all ages. Wonder, the story of a horribly disfigured boy who endures bullying but also is someone well worth knowing, has been on the middle grade bestseller lists for a long time, which I find encouraging. I hope something similar happens for Gracefully Grayson, as it deserves a wide audience and carries a welcome and timely message of integrity and compassion.
Rating: 5Gracefully Grayson. By Ami Polonsky. Hyperion / Disney Book Group. 2014. 256 pages. $16.99 hbk. 978-1423185277. Grades 6-10.Read as an ebook through NetGalley.Grayson Sender is not the sixth-grade boy everyone thinks she is. Orphaned and lonely at school, she unhappily bears the weight of her secret feelings alone, until trying out for the role of Persephone in the school play gives her freedom and a newfound sense of confidence. Grayson’s journey is a moving experience, especially since it is told from her first-person point of view: this is a sweet, touching story of a young girl finding the courage to be herself. And it is invigorating to see such a young protagonist questioning her gender identity, in a story aimed at a middle school audience: this is an important milestone in children’s literature. Polonsky chooses not to probe Grayson’s identity very deeply: Grayson is a role model for confidence and emotional growth but less so for the actual mechanics of transitioning (such as coming out and modeling correct pronoun usage) – and there are still many children in need of such role models in literature, as society has not yet evolved enough to fully support them. The writing style also occasionally feels almost too slick for a first-person middle-school protagonist. But overall this story marks a turning point in children’s literature by representing a child's struggle with her gender identity for a middle school audience: Polonsky’s portrayal of Grayson and her journey is gracefully done.
Rating: 4Hard to believe this is a first novel - the emotions and characters are great, the story is affecting. You really root for Grayson to find herself. And the author is good at showing, not telling - you're not beaten over the head with messages about what's "good" and what's "bad" - it's all just kind of organic with the story. In fact, I rated this 4 stars, but as I think about it, I'm changing it to 5.
Rating: 5Grayson doodles princesses in notebook margins and dreams of swishy skirts and sparkly necklaces -- but wears track suits and hides the doodles because Grayson was born a boy. When auditions are held for the school play, Grayson auditions for the part of Persephone. A sympathetic teacher supports Grayson in this decision, even though it may mean bullying and difficulty. As Grayson steps into the role of Persephone, he . . . she . . . begins exploring and expressing other aspects of her identity.This book has the potential to be incredibly significant to children who are experiencing, or know someone who is experiencing, Grayson's situation. The writing is good but not fantastic -- I thought some things were simplified or glossed over, but all in all, this is a good book that will be important to its primary audience.
Rating: 4A beautifully, tenderly, lovingly written tale I finished in less a day, Gracefully Grayson surrounds Grayson Sender, biologically a boy, but in heart and soul a girl, who bravely spends the many pages of this grab-your-heart novel figuring out her place in the world and what and who really matter.
Rating: 4I loved this. No, not this, Grayson. I loved Grayson. I loved who he was and who he wanted to be and how he made it happen. (I use the pronoun he because Grayson used it throughout the book.) I loved the teacher who cast Grayson in the lead female role in the play because Grayson was the best person who tried out. I loved Grayson's dead parents who knew five year old him loved wearing dresses and were going to support him being a girl as he said he was, and I loved his grandmother who saved his mother's letters so Grayson could read them.
This wasn't a one hundred percent feel-good book. There were tough times for Grayson, there were people who didn't understand him, people who didn't support him, and people who opposed him. The parts that really struck me were those who didn't understand, who thought he was gay or who thought he was a rebel for wearing a skirt or barrettes. I never realized how difficult that sort of benign misunderstanding could be.
(Provided by publisher)
Rating: 4This wasn't a one hundred percent feel-good book. There were tough times for Grayson, there were people who didn't understand him, people who didn't support him, and people who opposed him. The parts that really struck me were those who didn't understand, who thought he was gay or who thought he was a rebel for wearing a skirt or barrettes. I never realized how difficult that sort of benign misunderstanding could be.
(Provided by publisher)
Great story, earnest and thoughtfully crafted. An excellent choice for group discussion.
Rating: 4Gracefully Grace by Amy Polonsky is filled with well-developed, believable characters who represent the spectrum of authentic reactions to Grayson’s sexual identity issues. While Grayson faces bullying, rejection, and ridicule from some, “she” is also surrounded by caring friends and an understanding teacher. Polonsky does an outstanding job helping readers see these different points of view from Grayson’s perspective.From the first page, readers become immersed in sixth-grader Grayson’s secret life. The first person, conversational style helps readers see the world through “her” eyes. Grayson’s bravery in trying out for the girl’s lead in the school play is a powerful statement that leads “her” on a path to self-discovery.The frustrations and insecurities of middle school children are realistically portrayed through short chapters that keep the story moving and build empathy for Grayson’s situation. I’m happy to see the subject of gender identity being addressed in a developmentally appropriate way for middle school youth. In addition, there are many parents and teachers who would benefit from this realistic story about a timely topic. The e-pages of this book flew by. This unique work is a book I’ll be thinking about long into the future.
Rating: 5Grayson has suffered quietly with the torment of feeling like a girl on the inside while looking like a boy on the outside. When she auditions for and wins the role of Persephone in the school play, she finds herself closer to revealing her true self, even as her selection generates conflicing responses in the school community. Like "George," this book presents the topic in a developmentally appropriate way for child readers. They will understand the need to belong and be accepted, whatever the case may be.
Rating: 3