The Thing About Georgie

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying and ableism.

Georgie doesn’t plan to tell his parents that he’s playing Abraham Lincoln, but they find out anyway because Georgie must attend play rehearsals. Georgie’s parents think that the play will be good for him, but Georgie doesn’t know what that means. He isn’t comfortable playing the tallest president. He expects everyone, including the adults, to laugh as soon as he announces his name on stage.

Georgie attends his first swimming lesson. He’s already a good swimmer, but he wants to be even better. He likes swimming, and it is easy on his back. One of the indoor pools has been reserved for swimming lessons, to Georgie’s relief. He doesn’t want people to pay much attention to him. On his way out of the changing room, Georgie notices how big his mother’s stomach is getting.

Georgie likes his swimming teacher. She moves him to the other side of the pool when the kindergarten class stares at him. He has a great first session, but he notices Allison Housman and a friend heading for the free-swim pool. Georgie finishes his lesson, but he cannot concentrate on anything but Allison.