Two weeks later, at the final play rehearsal, Georgie and Russ work on the dog-walking fliers between their parts. When Georgie goes on stage, he becomes anxious when he sees Jeanie in the audience. Georgie tries to recite his part quickly, but the teacher tells him to slow down. Georgie keeps hearing a giggle in the audience, which distracts him. He looks at Jeanie, but she isn’t the one giggling; she’s frowning. The second graders in the front row were giggling. He pushes through his speech quickly.

Georgie tries to get out of the play, but his teacher insists that he stay because he believes Georgie can do it. Jeanie finds Georgie outside, waiting for his mother. She says that she wants to ask Georgie’s mother for a ride to the grocery store. She has an idea to help Georgie do better in the play. Georgie resists Jeanie, but she has already told her father that Georgie’s mother would take her home. She’s certain that she can talk Georgie’s mother into it because she likes Jeanie.

Jeanie and Georgie argue about whether he’ll let her help him. Jeanie says that she signed Georgie up to play Abraham Lincoln because she was certain that Georgie wanted to sign up himself but was too nervous. Jeanie thought that Georgie’s president of choice would be Lincoln based on what he said about Lincoln at the end of their report. Jeanie’s assumption amuses Georgie. Jeanie now wants to repay Georgie for saving them from the bind with Nonna Rosa. She insists that he allow her to help him not make a fool of himself. Georgie realizes that he doesn’t have much to lose and agrees. Jeanie plans to get coffee at the grocery store to help Georgie be tall.

On Friday night, Georgie waits backstage with the other presidents before the show. He’s nervous because Allison Housman and the rest of the seventh graders are working as the stage crew for the play. Allison is working the curtain, so she’ll see if Georgie makes a fool of himself, which he believes he will do. Russ is also nervous, so Georgie helps him practice, reminding him of key information about Georgie Washington’s life.

Georgie has 14 more presidents before he needs to be ready. He looks at Allison, who is talking to another seventh grader, Cody. Georgie hates how Cody makes Allison smile and laugh. Georgie wishes that Allison would look at him that way.

Jeanie finds Georgie, with the completed pieces of Georgie’s costume in tow. Before she can help Georgie into it, Cody approaches them and asks why Jeanie is backstage. Jeanie says that she’s helping Georgie into his costume. Cody mocks Georgie, referring to him with a slur for little people. Georgie looks to Allison to defend him, but she looks away. Jeanie corrects Cody with the proper terminology, but Cody continues to mock Georgie, asking where Snow White is. Jeanie kicks Cody in the shin with all her strength. Cody limps away, and Allison follows.

Jeanie helps Georgie into his costume, which makes him tall enough to look down at her. Georgie begins to panic. He says that he never wanted to be Lincoln; he wanted to be Washington. Jeanie says that Georgie already is Washington, but right now, he needs to be Lincoln.

Georgie clomps onto the stage wearing a top hat and three cans of coffee strapped to each foot, making him much taller than everyone else. Over the coffee cans, he wears a pair of Jeanie’s father’s trousers. He also wears a suit jacket and holds rulers with gloves taped to the end to fill out the arms. To Georgie’s relief, no one laughs at him. He begins his speech, feeling the stage fright leave him. He realizes that the audience seems bored, so he begins to ham up his performance, emphasizing his silly arms and putting dramatic emphasis on his words. The audience begins to laugh good laughter—the kind Georgie wants. Georgie captures the attention of the room, and when he finishes, the audience applauds loudly.

Georgie still feels tall, even after changing out of his costume. Russ compliments Georgie’s performance. Georgie finds his parents and Andy in the audience, and they all think that Georgie did great. Andy asks where the costume came from. Georgie almost says “Jeanie the Meanie,” but he corrects himself to just say “Jeanie.”

Georgie looks for Jeanie and spots her at the refreshments table eating cupcakes. He also sees Allison there without Cody. He wants to talk to Allison, but he realizes that Jeanie is a nicer person than Allison. Jeanie compliments Georgie’s performance. Jeanie says that she wants to sign them both up for drama in fifth grade so that they can become stars together.

On the way home, Georgie looks at his mother’s stomach and finally has the words for what he wants to ask his parents. He’s nervous about the answer, but he does his best to form the words. Georgie starts to ask if they were disappointed but rephrases his question, asking if his parents would love him more if he could play the violin. Georgie immediately regrets the question because he assumes that his parents will say something reassuring and parent-y. However, Georgie’s father pulls the car over, and both his parents look at him quietly for a long time before speaking.

Georgie’s father admits that he and Georgie’s mother had hoped that Georgie would play an instrument. They are quiet again for a while, and Georgie’s mother climbs into the back seat to sit with him. She explains that playing music brings them so much joy that they had hoped that Georgie could experience it too. They wanted him to be happy doing what they loved to do.

Georgie’s mother tells Georgie to look at her before she continues. She explains that he is a remarkable person just the way he is and that he is happy, so they can’t know if he would be happier playing the violin. Even though Georgie’s parents had hoped that he’d find joy in music, now their hopes for him are that he grows into the kind of person he wants to be and the kind of person that makes him happy. Georgie’s father agrees with what Georgie’s mother said and adds that there is no way they could love Georgie any more than they already do—not even if he played violin.

Georgie asks if the baby will play the violin. His father responds that they will have to wait and see—a lesson they learned with Georgie. They are proud of Georgie for being the best president in the play. Georgie smiles.

At home, Georgie looks at the poem on his walls and realizes that you never know what to expect with a baby and that you can’t know anything about who they are until they grow up.

Georgie stays busy for the rest of the school year. He walks dogs with Andy and Russ, attends swimming lessons, rides bikes with Andy and Russ, and sometimes even rides with Jeanie. Jeanie is excited about fifth-grade drama. Georgie won’t admit it to her, but he’s excited too. Andy’s new room comes together nicely with the help of Georgie’s ideas and Russ’s drawings.

In early May, two weeks before the baby is due, Jeanie taps Georgie on the shoulder to let him know that Andy is signaling to him. Georgie retrieves the note, which says that Andy’s mother will pick up Andy, Georgie, and Russ after school to see Andy’s finished room. Andy’s room has a rock wall with a loft, just like Georgie suggested, with a ladder for easy access as well. The boys stay in a tent in the loft for hours, and the afternoon evolves into a sleepover. Georgie recruits Andy and Russ for help with a special project.

A week later, Georgie unveils a new poem on his wall, written with Andy’s help and featuring Russ’s artwork. The poem resembles the one that Georgie’s parents wrote for him, but instead of being limited to instruments, the poem explores a broader spectrum of possibilities, like music, art, sports, science, and literature. Georgie and his friends painted it for the new baby. Georgie will move into the guest room. His parents are proud.

The narrator returns for a final time to ask the reader to retrieve the paper that they wrote their “thing” on earlier. The narrator wants the reader to reread what they wrote and then rip the paper into tiny pieces. The narrator thinks that there is probably a “thing” about the reader for every shred of paper they’ve created. The narrator provides examples about themself, revealing that they are Jeanie. She confesses to having read Little in a Big World five times.

One week later, Georgie’s baby sister, Charlotte, is born. Georgie asks if she will have a special middle name like he does, but his parents say that she already has someone great to motivate her and look up to: Georgie. Georgie knows that Charlotte will soon be taller than him, and he knows that she could eventually play the violin, but he’s prepared for those things when they come.