Author: Jason Reynolds

Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Date of Publication: August 30, 2016

Awards: Finalist for National Book Awards 2016 for Young People’s Literature

Age Range: 9 years and up

Grade Level: 3rd and beyond

Resources:

1. Reading and discussion guide as well as extension activities designed by the publisher
2. Review by Kirkus Reviews

Ghost tells the story of 7th grader Castle “Ghost” Crenshaw who lives in an urban neighborhood and is often bullied because of the part of town he resides. On his walk home from school Ghost decides on an impulsive decision to watch a track meet of a team called the Defenders, and running it without any prior sign up or experience. With an innate skill of running Coach Otis instinctively sees himself in Ghost, he then takes him under his wing and becomes committed to investing himself in Ghost’s life. He invites him onto the track team on the condition that Ghost can fulfill all his other duties in life. His journey alongside Coach and his teammates helps Ghost confront both his complicated past and present, propelling him forward. Ghost finds himself with a sense of belonging and purpose after a lifetime of being isolated from his peers and traumatized from the abuse that was present in his early development. These story elements all combine to form themes of bullying and abuse, as well as confronting and overcoming your fear and anger. Any reader who has gone through similar traumas of abusive parents or being bullied at school would see themselves in Ghost and Coach as well. These readers would not only see the pain that comes from it, but the healing that the book also depicts.