Rick
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4.1 • 10 Ratings
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this standalone companion to Gino's George, 11-year-old Rick grapples with his identity while navigating shifting relationships and learning about allyship. Now that he's starting middle school, it seems that everyone expects Rick to "turn into some sort of hormonal beast," but he worries that he's never had a crush. Though he hopes that the Rainbow Spectrum, "an after-school club for LGBTQIAP+ rights," might provide answers, he hides his interest from his best friend Jeff, a homophobic bully. As Rick begins to find words that describe his orientation asexual, aromantic he bonds with his fellow club members and is forced to consider his friendship with Jeff, whose bullying exempts Rick but not his new friends, among them Melissa, the star of Gino's debut novel. In addition to feeling accepted by his club peers, he begins conversations with family about his identity, but it's his deepening relationship with his Grandpa Ray, who loves cosplay, that provides Rick the safe space to be himself. Bonding first over a science fiction program, the two find that their connection spans beyond the screen, further highlighting the power of authenticity and acceptance. Through the Rainbow Spectrum, readers are introduced to a wide range of identities and pronouns. Ages 8 12.
Customer Reviews
Rick
This book is really good and will get you reading constantly! Friendship troubles, and finding out who Rick is, learning new terms.
You should probably read Melissa first though.
Misleading information
This book would be good if A) Rick was just asking questions about rainbow stuff in the right places and B) the club was just a friend club, not a LGBTQ+ club. As a former LGBTQ+ cult person I did it as a trend much to my shame. LGB and T+, queer people do exist but….this book had Rick, a 12 year old question his sexuality. Also why on earth is a transgender girl coming out in 6th grade?
Unlike gay/bi people I can’t defend transgenderism on a moral level. Being intersex also is different since you are born with a rare genetic condition.
I was around Rick’s age when I read this. This book is a far cry from What is the T? By Juno Dawson. Still middle schoolers should not be in a LGBTQ+ club for 25 and up. Seriously. Wings of Fire has a lesbian couple in it but it’s not drawn upon as sexuality but rather normal.
I used to claim I was genderfluid and liked the same sex. (I don’t even like girls!) I just wanted to fit in a group so bad. I never wanted to be 100% Trans. That along with other self esteem and rejections by guys lead me down a depressed path. This book made it seem like the LGBTQ+ community/communities knockoff cult was so right.
At my new school my new best friend also encouraged me to be LGBTQ whatever letters or numbers this week plus. Then we got into fights over gender. Then she made some new friends while coming out as enby. She hated how I was Christian. So she became my ex best friend. Her next best friend was girl just as gender wise messed up. I left that school but I wasn’t purely innocent as well.
I have since gotten over the LGBTQ+ knockoff cult, grudges on others and self esteem issues. I now go to a Christian school and do other activities with non woke people. I have more faith in God and have better interests to have. Still, those times haunt me.
I don’t care how mad people get at my review but come on! This isn’t wholesome, it’s madness!!!!
Great book
Loved this book, everyone stop hating on Alex Gino’s books they’re awesome books! I love “Melissa” and “Rick” and I can’t wait to read “You don’t know everything Jilly P!”