by Jason Reynolds (j Reynolds)
If you have never read any books by Jason Reynolds, this is the one to read. Reynolds, who has won the Coretta Scott King Award for his outstanding children’s books, has a number of great kids and young adult titles, but this one is my favorite.
Ghost is the nickname that middle-schooler Castle Cranshaw chose for himself. He is super-fast, but trouble keeps catching up with him. It all begins when Ghost is a small boy and he and his mother run from his father, who in a drunken-rage attempted to shoot them. The shop keeper that helps them looks at Castle like he was looking at a ghost, and the name stuck with him.
One day Ghost is out wandering town with his sunflower seeds and he wanders right into Coach, a former Olympic track medalist, and his middle-school track team of Defenders. Ghost proves himself to be a quick sprinter and is welcomed on to the team on a trial basis. But unfortunately difficulties find Ghost — tough track practices, living in a rough neighborhood, bullies, and the desire for good running shoes. Bad choices could cost him his chance on the team. But Ghost discovers that sometimes you have to face trouble rather than run from it, especially when you have someone you can trust by your side.
This National Book Award Finalist is one in a set of books by Reynolds. The other titles — Sunny, Lu, and Patina — feature the other newbies on the Defenders track team. Each title depicts the season from the perspective of one of the other runners, who all have strong personalities and approach track from vary different backgrounds.
The book is one of my favorite Reynolds book because it is a reminder that we don’t truly know where anyone is coming from; we don’t know what challenges they are facing. While we all may be running the same race, we all are running in different shoes, coming from entirely different directions.
[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Lu Patina, and Sunny by Jason Reynolds, Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero by Kelly Baptist or Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome.] [ publisher’s official Ghost web page ] | [ official Jason Reynolds web site ]Recommended by Cindy K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service
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