Rick by Alex Gino

 Rick

by Alex Gino

Rick Ramsey is starting middle school. For a few years he's been best friends with Jeff, a not-so-nice to other kids video game buddy, and the kid who punched George (now Melissa) in the stomach in the fourth grade.

Rick lives with his parents. His older sister just left for college, following their older brother. The two older siblings used to spend Sundays with their grandfather in turn, and now the task has fallen to Rick. He thinks it's going to be boring, but he finds that he and his grandfather have common interests and get along really well.

At school, a new club called Spectrum is introduced to Rick in a science class. Rick feels funny. He is always ducking comments made by Jeff and his father about girls. "Or boys," his father knows he should include in the comments. Rick's parents are pretty progressive. But Rick doesn't ever think about girls or boys that way, and he wonders if there's something wrong with him.

In secret, because he knows how Jeff feels about "the gay kids" at school, Rick decides to go to the Spectrum meeting where he sees Melissa (who sits in front of him in homeroom) and several other kids, including a boy named Ronnie who likes to draw. There is a wide range of kids who all identify in various ways: some gay, some queer, some straight, one non-binary, etc. Rick doesn't know what he is. Then the term asexual gets tossed around and Rick wonders if that's what he is. The kids in the club are all very open and accepting, but some of them are suspicious of Rick because they know he's friends with Jeff, and Jeff is a jerk. The club decides to raise money for library books that are inclusive and instructive of LGBTQIAP+ issues. They decide to put on a talent show. Rick has a fun talent involving spinning quarters, but he is afraid to participate because he worries about Jeff finding out he's part of Spectrum.

Meanwhile, Rick opens up to his grandfather about what's bothering him. Everyone tells Rick he is young and doesn't know what he "is" yet, but he will know as he gets older. His grandfather accepts Rick's idea that he might be asexual. Then his grandfather tells Rick his own secret. Also, he tells Rick that it sounds like, if he can't be himself with Jeff, and if Jeff is openly mean to others whom Rick likes, then it sounds like they shouldn't be friends anymore.

Through a series of events at school, Rick learns that he doesn't need Jeff or Jeff's approval, that there are other kids at school who like him as he is and he doesn't need to pretend anymore. He decides to drop Jeff, join the talent show, and live his life openly and unashamed.

Rick discusses all sorts of identities, but it also says that you don't have to decide, and that you can change your mind as you grow up, you can be who you are in the moment. There is no pressure to decide, and it's okay to have and to ask questions. It was a beautiful follow-up to George and I was excited to read it.