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Ghost Boys
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's (2018)Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that’s been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing.
Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father’s actions.
Once again Jewell Parker Rhodes deftly weaves historical and socio-political layers into a gripping and poignant story about how children and families face the complexities of today’s world, and how one boy grows to understand American blackness in the aftermath of his own death.
Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father’s actions.
Once again Jewell Parker Rhodes deftly weaves historical and socio-political layers into a gripping and poignant story about how children and families face the complexities of today’s world, and how one boy grows to understand American blackness in the aftermath of his own death.
214 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2018
About the author
Jewell Parker Rhodes
27 books1,442 followersJewell Parker Rhodes has always loved reading and writing stories. Born and raised in Manchester, a largely African-American neighborhood on the North Side of Pittsburgh, she was a voracious reader as a child. She began college as a dance major, but when she discovered there were novels by African Americans, she knew she wanted to be an author. She wrote six novels for adults, two writing guides, and a memoir, but writing for children remained her dream.
Now she is the author of seven books for children including the New York Times bestsellers Ghost Boys and Black Brother, Black Brother. Her other books include Paradise on Fire, Towers Falling, and the Louisiana Girls Trilogy: Ninth Ward, Sugar, and Bayou Magic. She has also published six adult novels, two writing guides, and a memoir.
Jewell has received numerous honors including the American Book Award, the National Endowment of the Arts Award in Fiction, the Black Caucus of the American Library Award for Literary Excellence, the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award for Outstanding Writing, and a Coretta Scott King Honor.
When she’s not writing, she’s visiting schools to talk about her books with the kids who read them, or teaching writing at Arizona State University, where she is the Piper Endowed Chair and Founding Artistic Director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing.
Now she is the author of seven books for children including the New York Times bestsellers Ghost Boys and Black Brother, Black Brother. Her other books include Paradise on Fire, Towers Falling, and the Louisiana Girls Trilogy: Ninth Ward, Sugar, and Bayou Magic. She has also published six adult novels, two writing guides, and a memoir.
Jewell has received numerous honors including the American Book Award, the National Endowment of the Arts Award in Fiction, the Black Caucus of the American Library Award for Literary Excellence, the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award for Outstanding Writing, and a Coretta Scott King Honor.
When she’s not writing, she’s visiting schools to talk about her books with the kids who read them, or teaching writing at Arizona State University, where she is the Piper Endowed Chair and Founding Artistic Director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing.
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December 22, 2020[Book #2 for my grad school Children's Lit class]
February 4, 2018
I finished this book while the National Anthem played on the Atlanta airport TVs for the Super Bowl. I burst into tears. This is a haunting and important book I'll be thinking about for a long time.
January 4, 2024
Jewell Parker Rhodes tackles timely issues (racial bias, bullying, class differences with regard to education and upbringing, gun violence) and introduces young readers to important figures (Emmett Till, Tamir Rice) in this story of a twelve-year-old black boy who is shot and killed after police mistakenly assume his toy gun is a real weapon.
December 6, 2021
If you need some good book recommendation on #blacklivesmatter read this one. The overall verdict of how the book handles police brutality and how this book ended is something I want to discuss.
The one 🌟 missing from the rating has never mattered more. I am disappointed at how things ended up so quietly after everything has happened.
The whole book is written really well. Clear, vivid images of violence and shooting, rampant killing of the black since long time back are represented well with relevant representative characters.
On one hand, I am really disappointed with how things are handled in the book but on the other hand, I feel it just portrays the reality how we feel hopeless even if we all know the wrong has been done and there's more coming up.
I know I expected a lot from such books and good writing but nevertheless, I needed a strong voice. Not from the main child character. I wish the adults and the law system made some significance in the story.
Lots of emotions at the moment. A good read.
The one 🌟 missing from the rating has never mattered more. I am disappointed at how things ended up so quietly after everything has happened.
The whole book is written really well. Clear, vivid images of violence and shooting, rampant killing of the black since long time back are represented well with relevant representative characters.
On one hand, I am really disappointed with how things are handled in the book but on the other hand, I feel it just portrays the reality how we feel hopeless even if we all know the wrong has been done and there's more coming up.
I know I expected a lot from such books and good writing but nevertheless, I needed a strong voice. Not from the main child character. I wish the adults and the law system made some significance in the story.
Lots of emotions at the moment. A good read.
July 7, 2021
The more I think about this book, the more angry I get. As a Black woman, myself, I cannot believe the direction Jewell Parker Rhodes chose to take this.
This book bills itself as Jerome, a twelve year old Black boy, coming to grips with not only his murder but the larger historical, social context his murder fits into. And to be fair that theme is the foundation on which everything else is built. However, the inclusion or rather the execution of Sarah's storyline distracts from this point to such a degree that the whole narrative is tanked.
I didn't mind Sarah being a character, in theory. As the daughter of the cop who killed Jerome there is room for a very compelling dynamic. She's the same age and height as Jerome to boot; something that plays some significance in the trial deciding whether her father will be brought up on criminal charges. And at first that's exactly what we get. Sarah believes her father is a good man who was doing his job. Jerome rightfully, obviously, disagrees. The initial friction between these two was what I wanted the whole book to be. Sarah lives a completely charmed life as a result of a lot of societal factors that disproportionately affect Black people leaving her family, on an intergenerational level, in a more advantageous position to climb out of poverty. Jerome lives in a neighborhood so bad that his parents don't even want him outside in the afternoons, considers his family lucky for being only 'a little poor' compared to some of his very poor peers, and is bullied relentlessly at school for being in essence 'a good kid'. You can see the animosity on both sides; Sarah's worldview has been shattered and Jerome will never even get a chance to experience the prosperity Sarah already has at such a young age.
All of this wonderful tension is ruined by Sarah mostly being good already. Following their first tumultuous conversation Sarah is basically on the Black lives matter train. She's not quite so militant yet, but she's heading that way. I am aware that there are kids that live under prejudiced parents, who do not feel the same way as said parents. However, I do not see the point in adding Sarah at all if her character is not intended to explore both sides of the equation. She's fundamentally on Jerome's side from the beginning, she's just a little ignorant. It's too rapid a progression. She needed to be close-minded for longer.
I also hated how Jerome's death is reduced to a teaching moment for her and her family.
First, it's important to know that Emmett Till is a non factor. His presence felt like a gimmick because of how little he appears. He’s set up as a mystery. Jerome doesn’t know who this other random ghost boy is. He learns his name, yet he doesn’t know the story keeping him in the dark longer as to what his purpose as a ghost might be. Except, this takes place in the smartphone era. It takes two seconds to Google something. But, instead the two just sit around waiting to be told and then inevitably end up Googling it anyways so like what was the point?
It would have been better if Sarah looked it up and got the wrong version of events (i.e. the whole ‘he whistled at a white lady’ thing) instead of what we now know to be the truth. This adjustment is so minor it wouldn’t affect the trajectory of events at all and it would better communicate how insidious racism can be; it literally warps history.
When Emmett Till does appear the first plot defining thing he does is comfort Sarah at Jerome’s trial, then tells Jerome he needs to talk to Sarah in order to help himself.
Why is it always the Black persons' job to educate white people? Jerome is DEAD and he still must find a way to inspire this white girl to have empathy for his race. If Jerome forces her to see for his own reasons, that's one thing. There can be a commentary there about how Black death seems to be the only catalyst for white activism. It also would give Jerome some much needed agency to choose to focus on Sarah for his own motivations.
Instead the whole reason Jerome is even a ghost hinges on this white girl seeing the light. It’s so reductive; Jerome has to die so a white person can go on to incite change in his name. On top of that why is everything put on the white girl’s shoulders in the first place? It is important to have allies, but the point of allies is to provide backup not to speak over the experiences of the minority. I found it deeply problematic that Sarah was given the task of telling Jerome’s story as the implication is that as a white person she has more credibility than a Black person. In some circles, yes, that’s where being an ally comes in, but she does not inherently hold more sway by virtue of her race.
I’m somewhat rewriting the book here, but I feel that the story desperately needed Kim (Jerome’s little sister) to be able to see Jerome too. Having a Black person serving as more than an impetus for Sarah’s personal growth would be beneficial. Like I already established, Jerome and Sarah have totally opposite lives. Jerome is unfortunately a prop. Kim being there balances this as she is less inclined to be as forgiving. I can admit that Jerome is somewhat correct in his assertion that he, as a ghost, has no need for hatred - more on that later. Kim has no such qualms and could really lay into Sarah. The Black characters have more power in the events of the story and it’s more realistic to have somebody be unrepentant in their ire with Sarah. I’m not trying to blame Sarah. I know it’s not in any way her fault. I just think that it is better to convey that via a character working through their misplaced negativity, in-story. It would be helpful for Black kids to understand those feelings are normal and have an example of how to process it.
The addition of Kim would shift to the characters all helping each other to grieve their former lives as well as offer a perspective from all sides. This book plays at exploring the big picture when it only scratches the surface.
The ending is the icing on the whole awful cake. I did not like the direction the story had taken, but the book had enough strengths that while disappointed I wasn’t too upset. That all changed upon getting to the ending. This isn’t a spoiler, it’s reality so I’m not going to censor it; the case to bring Jerome’s killer up on charges is dismissed. By this time, Jerome has made his peace with his passing. He goes to see Sarah who has become almost obsessed now that she’s become more aware of how much bigotry is built into modern society. She has made a website linking Emmett Till to Jerome and other young Black boys, telling their stories. Again, this is where Kim would fit right in. Kim is literally Jeromes’ sister. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have her participate in a website attempting to expose the truth especially since she would have things to share about her own brother? If not that, at least have Sarah ask her to help. It seems so disingenuous to place this girl whose sort of friends with his ghost in a position to tell Jerome’s story. She barely knows him. Again, why is she - an ally - in charge of this venture?
Jerome feels bad that Sarah is inside on such a beautiful day. He tries to encourage her to not let this whole thing consume her. Alright, fine so far. Sarah explodes furious at her father for doing what he did, saying she hates him. That’s when Jerome - THE MURDERED TWELVE YEAR OLD VICTIM - tells her that her Dad just ‘made a mistake’. He says that he was just following in the footsteps of those that came before him. He wasn’t taught any better and that Sarah has the chance now to do some good by showing him how to be better.
What a harmful, naive way to resolve this story. Her dad isn’t some casual racist man who through the power of words will repent his racist ways. He’s a bigot who actively lied on the stand - purposely and/or subconsciously - and killed a child. He shot a kid in the back, no warning, and watched as he died, refusing to call for an ambulance. To have that same child turn around and defend this racist man is beyond words. Putting the onus on a child to forgive anyone who has mistreated them to any degree similar to Jerome’s is dangerous not to mention disgusting. The book ends with Jerome looking on in bittersweet contentment as Sarah goes to her now borderline alcoholic father (due to the trauma of the events of the novel, ugh, cry me a river racist cop) to start a dialogue about his side of the story.
I have no words for how absolutely deplorable I found this outcome to be. I understand the point Rhodes is making; this man is a product of his surroundings. We need to enlighten those who hate us, is a common enough sentiment by a subsect of the Black community. I do not begrudge those who choose this path. It’s true that some racist, bigoted individuals can change. It takes a lot of fortitude, but it’s entirely possible and actually essential that we use information to combat the hateful lies propagated by those living in prejudice.
That being said, this massively missed the mark. This man has crossed a line too far for us to attempt to rehabilitate him. It also ignores aspects of his character in order to make this viable i.e. the aforementioned premeditated steps taken to ensure Jeromes’ death. Forgiveness is mired in subjectivity. Some people view letting go of the pain, as a form of forgiveness. Others view forgiveness as someone asking for it and you actively choosing to give it. Some people don’t think the person needs to ask for you to choose to forgive them. That’s part of where the murkiness comes up. I don’t think that Sarah’s father deserves to be forgiven. Jerome can choose to do so. However, this decision is not made in a vacuum. To forgive someone for an act so heinous has larger connotations. Jerome encounters other Ghost boys, Black boys in the wrong place at the wrong time, once Emmett Till finally gathers the mettle to tell Jerome his story. That’s when Jerome realizes that his death is one in a long line of atrocities committed against Black people.
Is Jerome’s forgiveness meant to extend to all those murders as well? Regardless of circumstance, we should strive for forgiveness in every case of Black death perpetrated in the name of white supremacy? Tamir Rice’s murder is the inspiration for this book. Is Rhodes really implying that the cop who killed him lacks culpability on some level as he was raised in a society that emboldened such actions? How is that fair, to give these killers the benefit of the doubt, in terms of their intentions when the kids they’re killing aren’t given the same chance?
It makes me heartsick to think about a Black kid reading this thinking that they are reacting incorrectly to trauma for not being as enlightened or pious as Jerome is. There is no right or wrong way to feel in circumstances like the one in this book as long as you aren’t hurting anybody. It’s not right to act as if Jerome’s is the singular method for achieving grace.
I just think it’s so dismissive to Jerome’s pain, to his family’s pain, to the pain of anybody out there who has lost someone to police violence to suggest in shape or form that Black people must be the arbiters of morality. We don’t only have to educate white people, but we have to do it with a smile even as they twist the knife in, because we are supposed to take the high ground no matter what. We shouldn’t have to sublimate our pain to try and make white people respect us. If they can’t respect our pain, then maybe they aren’t worth the effort.
I’m not saying Jerome can’t encourage Sarah to talk to her father. I know that some people would also have the empathy or goodwill or whatever to do so. What I am saying is that if that was the intended conclusion then I needed to see a more realistic, accurate depiction of how being the victim of this tragedy would affect his entire community. Without that nuance this does its impressionable young audience a disservice. None of the characters felt real. It was clear that there was a goal in mind when Rhodes was writing, and it did not matter if it was good or not so long as the goal was reached. There was not nearly enough on Carlos (the first friend Jerome has ever had), Kim, Jerome’s Grandmother, his parents, or heck, even his bullies. It was either rushed, like Carlos’ guilt over his hand in Jerome's death, or glossed over like Jerome's parents’ inability to even look at one another any more. I needed to see the full force of the suffering inflicted on the people important to Jerome’s story before I could even consider feeling bad for Sarah’s dad, of all people. He caused this, yet I see more or an equal amount of how he’s struggling over Jerome’s own father? How does that make sense?
So much of this story was side-tracked by, in my opinion, Rhodes’ attempts to mitigate potential alienation by white readers. It’s insane that a book featuring a murdered Black boy as the protagonist still feels the need to cater to a white audience. The very nature of the subject matter suggests a sizable group of people won’t be interested, for a multitude of reasons, in the first place. I’m not going to pretend to know all the ins and outs of writing a book in terms of how much sway editing or publishing has over the book. I will say I’m disappointed either way. I wanted to like this book so much - in fact I did still like it for quite a while longer than I should have. I just reached my limit.
I’m not going to write Jewell Parker Rhodes off right now, but she is certainly on thin ice going forward.
This book bills itself as Jerome, a twelve year old Black boy, coming to grips with not only his murder but the larger historical, social context his murder fits into. And to be fair that theme is the foundation on which everything else is built. However, the inclusion or rather the execution of Sarah's storyline distracts from this point to such a degree that the whole narrative is tanked.
I didn't mind Sarah being a character, in theory. As the daughter of the cop who killed Jerome there is room for a very compelling dynamic. She's the same age and height as Jerome to boot; something that plays some significance in the trial deciding whether her father will be brought up on criminal charges. And at first that's exactly what we get. Sarah believes her father is a good man who was doing his job. Jerome rightfully, obviously, disagrees. The initial friction between these two was what I wanted the whole book to be. Sarah lives a completely charmed life as a result of a lot of societal factors that disproportionately affect Black people leaving her family, on an intergenerational level, in a more advantageous position to climb out of poverty. Jerome lives in a neighborhood so bad that his parents don't even want him outside in the afternoons, considers his family lucky for being only 'a little poor' compared to some of his very poor peers, and is bullied relentlessly at school for being in essence 'a good kid'. You can see the animosity on both sides; Sarah's worldview has been shattered and Jerome will never even get a chance to experience the prosperity Sarah already has at such a young age.
All of this wonderful tension is ruined by Sarah mostly being good already. Following their first tumultuous conversation Sarah is basically on the Black lives matter train. She's not quite so militant yet, but she's heading that way. I am aware that there are kids that live under prejudiced parents, who do not feel the same way as said parents. However, I do not see the point in adding Sarah at all if her character is not intended to explore both sides of the equation. She's fundamentally on Jerome's side from the beginning, she's just a little ignorant. It's too rapid a progression. She needed to be close-minded for longer.
I also hated how Jerome's death is reduced to a teaching moment for her and her family.
First, it's important to know that Emmett Till is a non factor. His presence felt like a gimmick because of how little he appears. He’s set up as a mystery. Jerome doesn’t know who this other random ghost boy is. He learns his name, yet he doesn’t know the story keeping him in the dark longer as to what his purpose as a ghost might be. Except, this takes place in the smartphone era. It takes two seconds to Google something. But, instead the two just sit around waiting to be told and then inevitably end up Googling it anyways so like what was the point?
It would have been better if Sarah looked it up and got the wrong version of events (i.e. the whole ‘he whistled at a white lady’ thing) instead of what we now know to be the truth. This adjustment is so minor it wouldn’t affect the trajectory of events at all and it would better communicate how insidious racism can be; it literally warps history.
When Emmett Till does appear the first plot defining thing he does is comfort Sarah at Jerome’s trial, then tells Jerome he needs to talk to Sarah in order to help himself.
Why is it always the Black persons' job to educate white people? Jerome is DEAD and he still must find a way to inspire this white girl to have empathy for his race. If Jerome forces her to see for his own reasons, that's one thing. There can be a commentary there about how Black death seems to be the only catalyst for white activism. It also would give Jerome some much needed agency to choose to focus on Sarah for his own motivations.
Instead the whole reason Jerome is even a ghost hinges on this white girl seeing the light. It’s so reductive; Jerome has to die so a white person can go on to incite change in his name. On top of that why is everything put on the white girl’s shoulders in the first place? It is important to have allies, but the point of allies is to provide backup not to speak over the experiences of the minority. I found it deeply problematic that Sarah was given the task of telling Jerome’s story as the implication is that as a white person she has more credibility than a Black person. In some circles, yes, that’s where being an ally comes in, but she does not inherently hold more sway by virtue of her race.
I’m somewhat rewriting the book here, but I feel that the story desperately needed Kim (Jerome’s little sister) to be able to see Jerome too. Having a Black person serving as more than an impetus for Sarah’s personal growth would be beneficial. Like I already established, Jerome and Sarah have totally opposite lives. Jerome is unfortunately a prop. Kim being there balances this as she is less inclined to be as forgiving. I can admit that Jerome is somewhat correct in his assertion that he, as a ghost, has no need for hatred - more on that later. Kim has no such qualms and could really lay into Sarah. The Black characters have more power in the events of the story and it’s more realistic to have somebody be unrepentant in their ire with Sarah. I’m not trying to blame Sarah. I know it’s not in any way her fault. I just think that it is better to convey that via a character working through their misplaced negativity, in-story. It would be helpful for Black kids to understand those feelings are normal and have an example of how to process it.
The addition of Kim would shift to the characters all helping each other to grieve their former lives as well as offer a perspective from all sides. This book plays at exploring the big picture when it only scratches the surface.
The ending is the icing on the whole awful cake. I did not like the direction the story had taken, but the book had enough strengths that while disappointed I wasn’t too upset. That all changed upon getting to the ending. This isn’t a spoiler, it’s reality so I’m not going to censor it; the case to bring Jerome’s killer up on charges is dismissed. By this time, Jerome has made his peace with his passing. He goes to see Sarah who has become almost obsessed now that she’s become more aware of how much bigotry is built into modern society. She has made a website linking Emmett Till to Jerome and other young Black boys, telling their stories. Again, this is where Kim would fit right in. Kim is literally Jeromes’ sister. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have her participate in a website attempting to expose the truth especially since she would have things to share about her own brother? If not that, at least have Sarah ask her to help. It seems so disingenuous to place this girl whose sort of friends with his ghost in a position to tell Jerome’s story. She barely knows him. Again, why is she - an ally - in charge of this venture?
Jerome feels bad that Sarah is inside on such a beautiful day. He tries to encourage her to not let this whole thing consume her. Alright, fine so far. Sarah explodes furious at her father for doing what he did, saying she hates him. That’s when Jerome - THE MURDERED TWELVE YEAR OLD VICTIM - tells her that her Dad just ‘made a mistake’. He says that he was just following in the footsteps of those that came before him. He wasn’t taught any better and that Sarah has the chance now to do some good by showing him how to be better.
What a harmful, naive way to resolve this story. Her dad isn’t some casual racist man who through the power of words will repent his racist ways. He’s a bigot who actively lied on the stand - purposely and/or subconsciously - and killed a child. He shot a kid in the back, no warning, and watched as he died, refusing to call for an ambulance. To have that same child turn around and defend this racist man is beyond words. Putting the onus on a child to forgive anyone who has mistreated them to any degree similar to Jerome’s is dangerous not to mention disgusting. The book ends with Jerome looking on in bittersweet contentment as Sarah goes to her now borderline alcoholic father (due to the trauma of the events of the novel, ugh, cry me a river racist cop) to start a dialogue about his side of the story.
I have no words for how absolutely deplorable I found this outcome to be. I understand the point Rhodes is making; this man is a product of his surroundings. We need to enlighten those who hate us, is a common enough sentiment by a subsect of the Black community. I do not begrudge those who choose this path. It’s true that some racist, bigoted individuals can change. It takes a lot of fortitude, but it’s entirely possible and actually essential that we use information to combat the hateful lies propagated by those living in prejudice.
That being said, this massively missed the mark. This man has crossed a line too far for us to attempt to rehabilitate him. It also ignores aspects of his character in order to make this viable i.e. the aforementioned premeditated steps taken to ensure Jeromes’ death. Forgiveness is mired in subjectivity. Some people view letting go of the pain, as a form of forgiveness. Others view forgiveness as someone asking for it and you actively choosing to give it. Some people don’t think the person needs to ask for you to choose to forgive them. That’s part of where the murkiness comes up. I don’t think that Sarah’s father deserves to be forgiven. Jerome can choose to do so. However, this decision is not made in a vacuum. To forgive someone for an act so heinous has larger connotations. Jerome encounters other Ghost boys, Black boys in the wrong place at the wrong time, once Emmett Till finally gathers the mettle to tell Jerome his story. That’s when Jerome realizes that his death is one in a long line of atrocities committed against Black people.
Is Jerome’s forgiveness meant to extend to all those murders as well? Regardless of circumstance, we should strive for forgiveness in every case of Black death perpetrated in the name of white supremacy? Tamir Rice’s murder is the inspiration for this book. Is Rhodes really implying that the cop who killed him lacks culpability on some level as he was raised in a society that emboldened such actions? How is that fair, to give these killers the benefit of the doubt, in terms of their intentions when the kids they’re killing aren’t given the same chance?
It makes me heartsick to think about a Black kid reading this thinking that they are reacting incorrectly to trauma for not being as enlightened or pious as Jerome is. There is no right or wrong way to feel in circumstances like the one in this book as long as you aren’t hurting anybody. It’s not right to act as if Jerome’s is the singular method for achieving grace.
I just think it’s so dismissive to Jerome’s pain, to his family’s pain, to the pain of anybody out there who has lost someone to police violence to suggest in shape or form that Black people must be the arbiters of morality. We don’t only have to educate white people, but we have to do it with a smile even as they twist the knife in, because we are supposed to take the high ground no matter what. We shouldn’t have to sublimate our pain to try and make white people respect us. If they can’t respect our pain, then maybe they aren’t worth the effort.
I’m not saying Jerome can’t encourage Sarah to talk to her father. I know that some people would also have the empathy or goodwill or whatever to do so. What I am saying is that if that was the intended conclusion then I needed to see a more realistic, accurate depiction of how being the victim of this tragedy would affect his entire community. Without that nuance this does its impressionable young audience a disservice. None of the characters felt real. It was clear that there was a goal in mind when Rhodes was writing, and it did not matter if it was good or not so long as the goal was reached. There was not nearly enough on Carlos (the first friend Jerome has ever had), Kim, Jerome’s Grandmother, his parents, or heck, even his bullies. It was either rushed, like Carlos’ guilt over his hand in Jerome's death, or glossed over like Jerome's parents’ inability to even look at one another any more. I needed to see the full force of the suffering inflicted on the people important to Jerome’s story before I could even consider feeling bad for Sarah’s dad, of all people. He caused this, yet I see more or an equal amount of how he’s struggling over Jerome’s own father? How does that make sense?
So much of this story was side-tracked by, in my opinion, Rhodes’ attempts to mitigate potential alienation by white readers. It’s insane that a book featuring a murdered Black boy as the protagonist still feels the need to cater to a white audience. The very nature of the subject matter suggests a sizable group of people won’t be interested, for a multitude of reasons, in the first place. I’m not going to pretend to know all the ins and outs of writing a book in terms of how much sway editing or publishing has over the book. I will say I’m disappointed either way. I wanted to like this book so much - in fact I did still like it for quite a while longer than I should have. I just reached my limit.
I’m not going to write Jewell Parker Rhodes off right now, but she is certainly on thin ice going forward.
May 26, 2019
4 stars!
“Can't undo wrong. Can only do our best to make things right.”
Ghost Boys is a short but powerful read, and one I hope people of all ages will read. Jerome is out playing with a toy gun when two policemen shoot him. Dead, he watches over his family and community as they grieve. Joining him in the afterlife is Emmett Till, the ghost of a young boy killed in 1955.
I read this in one sitting, it's a very fast read but it packs a lot of punch. I was doing my best not to cry in public but still teared up many times. It reminds me a lot of a middle grade Long Way Down in terms of the approach and the use of ghosts to move along the story. I think parents looking to discuss this topic with their middle graders would find this book very helpful.
Overall the message I got from this book is forgiveness and to learn from your mistakes so others in the future won't make the same ones.
“Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better"
“Can't undo wrong. Can only do our best to make things right.”
Ghost Boys is a short but powerful read, and one I hope people of all ages will read. Jerome is out playing with a toy gun when two policemen shoot him. Dead, he watches over his family and community as they grieve. Joining him in the afterlife is Emmett Till, the ghost of a young boy killed in 1955.
I read this in one sitting, it's a very fast read but it packs a lot of punch. I was doing my best not to cry in public but still teared up many times. It reminds me a lot of a middle grade Long Way Down in terms of the approach and the use of ghosts to move along the story. I think parents looking to discuss this topic with their middle graders would find this book very helpful.
Overall the message I got from this book is forgiveness and to learn from your mistakes so others in the future won't make the same ones.
“Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better"
February 16, 2022
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I honestly believe that middle grade is one of the hardest groups to write for successfully because your target audience consists of kids who are fresh out of elementary and/or just about to enter high school, and they want to feel grown up about the books they read, so you, as an author, have to deliver on serious subjects and solid characterization while also not traumatizing the kiddos. I think I'd have a lot of trouble doing that, so I really admire the middle grade authors who deliver on the serious factor for their child audiences.
GHOST BOYS is one of those books. It is an incredibly tragic, very dark book for a middle grade audience that deals with a young boy's death from a police shooting. Jerome was playing with a toy gun his friend gave him and a cop thought it was a real one and shot him. Now a ghost, Jerome ends up witnessing the aftermath of his death, watching his family grieve him, his killer stand trial, and his killer's daughter feel very conflicted about reconciling the father she loves with the man who has done something absolutely unforgivable.
Also in this afterlife is the ghost of Emmett Till, who was also the victim of racial discrimination (albeit of a different kind and flavor). Jerome doesn't know who he is at first, so his identity and history are something of a mystery to Jerome (and by proxy, the audience), until he tells his sad story. I knew about Emmett Till, and his story IS horrifying, but I felt like the author did a good job holding back on the details while still conveying the horror of his death. Violence in YA is always hard to read about but here, it has a purpose: to illustrate the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and to show that we are not the post-racial society some might like to imagine we are until we fix the racism that is embedded deeply into the social and infrastructural strands of the U.S.'s tapestry of discrimination.
I cried several times while reading this book. Jerome is a compelling narrator and so is Emmett. I felt so bad for his family. The only thing I really took issue with is the fact that part of Jerome's unfinished business is teaching the policeman's daughter How Not to Be Racist, which kind of makes me feel like this is more of a book about Black people for white people. The ending is not a happy one and might be hard for some kids to read, but I think the idea of the murdered Black people as ghosts also serves as a metaphor for all those silent spaces that should be filled with Black lives that were ended prematurely. It ends up kind of feeling like a cross between BEFORE I FALL and THE HATE U GIVE. I personally feel like both those books did what they did better, but this was still a pretty gut-wrenching novel.
3.5 stars
April 26, 2018
This is the book I have been waiting for! I have been desperately searching for a middle grade book that would cover the same topics as The Hate U Give & Dear Martin but in a way that was more suitable for a younger audience. I tried to find it in The Stars Beneath Our Feet , but, that one was not it for me. This one was. This book is important. Relevant. Moving. Authentic. Hopeful. Searing. Gutting. A must-read.
Jerome is shot by the police after a 911 call goes in that there is a man with a gun in the park. He's 12, black, and has a toy gun. After his death, his spirit stays behind to watch his family as the case goes to trial. There, he realizes that Sara, the daughter of the cop who shot him, is the only living person who can see and communicate with him. As the book goes on, he starts to wonder why she would be the only one to see him and what his purpose is in staying behind. He knows there has to be a reason for him and the other "ghost boys," the spirits of other young African-American males who have been killed by those in authority. These ghost boys have a mission to continue on and bear witness.
Highly recommend. Appropriate for grades 5-9.
Jerome is shot by the police after a 911 call goes in that there is a man with a gun in the park. He's 12, black, and has a toy gun. After his death, his spirit stays behind to watch his family as the case goes to trial. There, he realizes that Sara, the daughter of the cop who shot him, is the only living person who can see and communicate with him. As the book goes on, he starts to wonder why she would be the only one to see him and what his purpose is in staying behind. He knows there has to be a reason for him and the other "ghost boys," the spirits of other young African-American males who have been killed by those in authority. These ghost boys have a mission to continue on and bear witness.
Highly recommend. Appropriate for grades 5-9.
June 28, 2020
I don't really have the words.
This broke my heart. It made me so angry.
I cried and it was for both of those reasons. It was because this is real.
Read this. Read it with your kids, your friends, your book club, your conscience.
If you are someone that says All Lives Matter, read this and tell me you still think the Black Lives Matter movement isn't needed. Read this and tell me that unconscious and conscious bias and racism don't play a part in all these deaths. Read this and tell me that systematic and personal racism doesn't exist anymore. If you can somehow ignore everything happening around us, if you can ignore the countless accounts, if you can be led to believe that these boys are dangerous, read this and tell me you still believe that. Tell me this book isn't real.
I bet you can't.
Then for god's sake wake up and pay attention.
This broke my heart. It made me so angry.
I cried and it was for both of those reasons. It was because this is real.
Read this. Read it with your kids, your friends, your book club, your conscience.
If you are someone that says All Lives Matter, read this and tell me you still think the Black Lives Matter movement isn't needed. Read this and tell me that unconscious and conscious bias and racism don't play a part in all these deaths. Read this and tell me that systematic and personal racism doesn't exist anymore. If you can somehow ignore everything happening around us, if you can ignore the countless accounts, if you can be led to believe that these boys are dangerous, read this and tell me you still believe that. Tell me this book isn't real.
I bet you can't.
Then for god's sake wake up and pay attention.
July 1, 2020
"All children, except one, grow up."
-Peter Pan
"A shadow. Then, another. And another. Another and another. Hundreds, thousands of ghost boys standing, ever still, looking up, through the window into our souls.
Do I have a soul still?
'I don't understand?'
'These are your... our people.'
'Black boys,' Sarah whispers, then clamps her hand over her mouth... I turn from him and Sarah. I look down. Hundreds and hundreds of shadow boys. A heart-wrenching crew. Army strong. No, zombie apocalypse strong. Standing on lawns, in the streets, their faces raised to me.
All children, except one, grow up."
-Peter Pan
"A shadow. Then, another. And another. Another and another. Hundreds, thousands of ghost boys standing, ever still, looking up, through the window into our souls.
Do I have a soul still?
'I don't understand?'
'These are your... our people.'
'Black boys,' Sarah whispers, then clamps her hand over her mouth... I turn from him and Sarah. I look down. Hundreds and hundreds of shadow boys. A heart-wrenching crew. Army strong. No, zombie apocalypse strong. Standing on lawns, in the streets, their faces raised to me.
All children, except one, grow up."
June 23, 2020
Bear witness. SAY THEIR NAMES. Only the living can make the world better.Emmett Till. Tamir Rice. Laquan McDonald. Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Jordan Edwards.
Just reading these names; saying these names--evoke so many emotions. I honestly cannot even find the words to express my feelings. Jewell Parker Rhodes has given us a living document that speaks to the social and economic atrocities being committed specifically against our young African American boys. Ghost Boys challenges us to wake up to the realities about how race continues to divide our country. Why are our young boys dying too young? Too soon? Where is the justice?
Personally, I could have devoured this book in one sitting. It is just that powerful. However, it was a buddy read with my 12 year son and I cannot begin to share the conversations that developed because of Ms. Rhodes' written words. Can a child, regardless of color, still maintain his or her innocence while confronting the racial inequities that permeate throughout our society? Ghost Boys may not definitively answer the question; however, it does challenge our younger members of society to see how they can bring about the change that has been 400 years in the making.
I also must show my appreciation to Ms. Rhodes for including powerful, yet age appropriate, discussion questions at the conclusion of the narrative. Ghost Boys is definitely not your everyday tale about one of the most serious issues plaguing our society. It also shows how such senseless murders can impact all those who become involved—including the “justice” system and the officers involved.
Regardless, of your age, you will not regret taking the time to read this book.
Bear witness. SAY THEIR NAMES. Only the living can make the world better.
March 26, 2022
"Is there someplace I’m supposed to go? I hope it’s heaven. A good place. But I’m still here—which is nowhere, not able to help anybody."
~ Rating- 3.5 stars ~
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Police Brutality, Murder, Grief, Loss of a Child, Nightmares, Bullying, Racism
Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.
-Mention of some these in the review-
"I don’t know. I don’t even know how I go, how I move. I just dissolve. Fade away, then appear again. Can I control that?"
Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes is about twelve-year-old Jerome, who is shot by a police officer that mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing.
"Why am I dead? I shouldn’t be dead. I shouldn’t."
Ghost Boys was a dark and powerful story, and is the sad reality of our world. I want to say I liked it, but that feels wrong, as this book is heartbreaking. It is a middle-grade book, and the target audience is children, but I believe that this is a book everyone should read. It was not easy to sit through, but it was a necessary read. Overall, it is an important book that I highly recommend.
"Then, I feel an urge. Deep inside me. A recognition. Injustice. Tragedy."
Review written & uploaded on 16th March 2022.
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DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
.......................
3.5 stars. Review to come.
March 18, 2018
Books like this make change. I highly recommend this one and hope it is in many middle school and high school classrooms when it is released this spring.
August 16, 2020
There's no other way to put this: These 200 pages will absolutely affect you.
Even though Jewell Parker Rhodes' Ghost Boys is a middle grade book, it should be required reading for kids and adults alike. It so deftly breaks down issues of racism and police brutality in such a harrowing but concise way, and you can't help but have a visceral reaction to it.
What an incredibly devastating but absolutely necessary read.
Even though Jewell Parker Rhodes' Ghost Boys is a middle grade book, it should be required reading for kids and adults alike. It so deftly breaks down issues of racism and police brutality in such a harrowing but concise way, and you can't help but have a visceral reaction to it.
What an incredibly devastating but absolutely necessary read.
January 17, 2019
“People change, but not enough at the same time. Or, maybe, people change, then forget they’ve changed and keep hurting”.
March 9, 2024
OMGooooshhh 😱🤮😭
Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, is by far the most emotional ending I’ve ever read based on true stories.
Reminiscent of The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold while living in the town the book partially took place. Having no idea at the time until hearing the name in Pennsylvania.
I’d been fascinated for a long time with what spirits might say who had been treated horribly to death. Like, the story I’d read about a woman who takes children and babies tossed away and discarded by parents. Never identified. Remembering one, in particular, tossed into the ocean. This woman buries these little ones. One simple act of love.
Or, the orphans I’d read about in China. Vietnamese children born from GI’s and locals brutalized. The days of children born disabled were cast away in hospitals in American institutions until changes were made in the 70s.
Reading 😭 Ghost Boys while people march globally upon the death of yet another man. Say his name, George Floyd.
This is not enough as the book so skillfully shares. While I’m in tears. Pause for an hour or so heartbroken of this literary fiction commingled reality based on facts.
What surprises me most, is how heartbroken I am in a new way. Stupid me scroll through Twitter during my pause. Yet another man harassed by police doing nothing wrong. He wasn’t even the correct person they were after. Their dumbfounded stupidity duh moment caught on film.
Seeing this sad man re-traumatized by his assault during a pandemic of assaults on lots of people cumulatively. Bursting with hurt. This book could do nothing except pull the tears outta me. The pent-up trauma we all feel right now is overwhelming.
Growing up in NYC didn’t learn what race was until ... Vietnam is my first recollection. Pile of dead bodies on the poster. I am seven.
Acknowledging I’m a middle-aged white lady who feels along with people of color. Related to people who befriended and respected native Americans who were our friends in the early 1700s. Who’s cousin carved the Lincoln Memorial, Sequoia, and other memorials. That’s an epic story of how my poor young talented 15 yr old cousin is allowed to model the Presidents bust until he died. Then, the first woman a few years later was commissioned by congress to do art for our nation highlighting the Emancipation Proclamation. A beloved patriot who cared to represent this historic moment for all people.
Another, my great-grandfather emigrated to America in the early 1900s. Felt had to ‘Americanize’ his name. Disconnect from his heritage to be American enough. Robing descendants of their heritage until recently, in the name of colonialism.
Recently learned the largest mass lynching in America was organized by Louisiana Governor in the early 1900s by Italians. considered the lowest of any group. Later elected to the senate. These lynchings were helped across the country and I'm only recently learning about this. It’s no wonder my greater grandpa may have been concerned.
It’s not the same as a person of color being assaulted and sometimes killed by police. Or, bought and sold. Or any of the tragedies.
Even though we are different, I hurt with you.
I see you. The lonely-hearted disconnected people.
Raising a boy to be a kind man of principle, I know my young son adored Martin Luther King Jr without me telling him to. He’d write about him in reports. Posted his speech on the wall. He could see people. My boy. Any color or ability. Mean and kind type is how he distinguishes humans.
He learned to see injustice and stand up for others who struggle at the risk of getting his butt kicked, too. That’s a fun six-grade story against a bully. He outwitted guys three times his size thankfully. But, I never knew if he’d lose and be victimized as a result. His self-awareness was my fear. He was homeschooled Full Time in Junior high as a precaution. Maybe in a way, I understand a little from this experience.
In my life, surrounded by colors and types of people just can’t stand this any more than anyone else who sees and knows this is something that must change.
Again, Even though we are different, I hurt with you.
This book should be mandatory reading for police. Including empathy training. There should be a required aspect to the psychological testing that includes this. Period.
Recently, went to the post office with my mask on due to the pandemic. Seeing a woman of color without a mask. I think it was in April. Instantly feel like crap. Took mine off. Make sure not to breathe toward the two people in the waiting area. At this moment I see how it feels to be in a world where racial bias is present. Out of respect for this woman can not keep my mask on. I feel pained about this deeply.
I’m SO SUPER thankful for feeling this way. For this book. For these reflections and clarity.
Being the change I need requires I sit with you in the pain. I hear you. I see you. I’m one of you. Color from another mother. Some of us wear it on the inside.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💯
Mandatory reading for humanity
Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, is by far the most emotional ending I’ve ever read based on true stories.
Reminiscent of The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold while living in the town the book partially took place. Having no idea at the time until hearing the name in Pennsylvania.
I’d been fascinated for a long time with what spirits might say who had been treated horribly to death. Like, the story I’d read about a woman who takes children and babies tossed away and discarded by parents. Never identified. Remembering one, in particular, tossed into the ocean. This woman buries these little ones. One simple act of love.
Or, the orphans I’d read about in China. Vietnamese children born from GI’s and locals brutalized. The days of children born disabled were cast away in hospitals in American institutions until changes were made in the 70s.
Reading 😭 Ghost Boys while people march globally upon the death of yet another man. Say his name, George Floyd.
This is not enough as the book so skillfully shares. While I’m in tears. Pause for an hour or so heartbroken of this literary fiction commingled reality based on facts.
What surprises me most, is how heartbroken I am in a new way. Stupid me scroll through Twitter during my pause. Yet another man harassed by police doing nothing wrong. He wasn’t even the correct person they were after. Their dumbfounded stupidity duh moment caught on film.
Seeing this sad man re-traumatized by his assault during a pandemic of assaults on lots of people cumulatively. Bursting with hurt. This book could do nothing except pull the tears outta me. The pent-up trauma we all feel right now is overwhelming.
Growing up in NYC didn’t learn what race was until ... Vietnam is my first recollection. Pile of dead bodies on the poster. I am seven.
Acknowledging I’m a middle-aged white lady who feels along with people of color. Related to people who befriended and respected native Americans who were our friends in the early 1700s. Who’s cousin carved the Lincoln Memorial, Sequoia, and other memorials. That’s an epic story of how my poor young talented 15 yr old cousin is allowed to model the Presidents bust until he died. Then, the first woman a few years later was commissioned by congress to do art for our nation highlighting the Emancipation Proclamation. A beloved patriot who cared to represent this historic moment for all people.
Another, my great-grandfather emigrated to America in the early 1900s. Felt had to ‘Americanize’ his name. Disconnect from his heritage to be American enough. Robing descendants of their heritage until recently, in the name of colonialism.
Recently learned the largest mass lynching in America was organized by Louisiana Governor in the early 1900s by Italians. considered the lowest of any group. Later elected to the senate. These lynchings were helped across the country and I'm only recently learning about this. It’s no wonder my greater grandpa may have been concerned.
It’s not the same as a person of color being assaulted and sometimes killed by police. Or, bought and sold. Or any of the tragedies.
Even though we are different, I hurt with you.
I see you. The lonely-hearted disconnected people.
Raising a boy to be a kind man of principle, I know my young son adored Martin Luther King Jr without me telling him to. He’d write about him in reports. Posted his speech on the wall. He could see people. My boy. Any color or ability. Mean and kind type is how he distinguishes humans.
He learned to see injustice and stand up for others who struggle at the risk of getting his butt kicked, too. That’s a fun six-grade story against a bully. He outwitted guys three times his size thankfully. But, I never knew if he’d lose and be victimized as a result. His self-awareness was my fear. He was homeschooled Full Time in Junior high as a precaution. Maybe in a way, I understand a little from this experience.
In my life, surrounded by colors and types of people just can’t stand this any more than anyone else who sees and knows this is something that must change.
Again, Even though we are different, I hurt with you.
This book should be mandatory reading for police. Including empathy training. There should be a required aspect to the psychological testing that includes this. Period.
Recently, went to the post office with my mask on due to the pandemic. Seeing a woman of color without a mask. I think it was in April. Instantly feel like crap. Took mine off. Make sure not to breathe toward the two people in the waiting area. At this moment I see how it feels to be in a world where racial bias is present. Out of respect for this woman can not keep my mask on. I feel pained about this deeply.
I’m SO SUPER thankful for feeling this way. For this book. For these reflections and clarity.
Being the change I need requires I sit with you in the pain. I hear you. I see you. I’m one of you. Color from another mother. Some of us wear it on the inside.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💯
Mandatory reading for humanity
November 18, 2018
It's difficult to review this book on its literary merits because I can't look past its message. I do agree with what so many other reviewers have mentioned, that the characters are underdeveloped, that the book is too short to tell this kind of story effectively, and that it was disrespectful to the families of real victims for the author to essentially use their dead children as a plot device. All of that is true.
But what will really keep me from recommending this book is its overall message. A child who reads this book will walk away believe he or she needs to fear the police, that the police are out to get them and that they are murdering innocent children right and left. Especially in a city like Chicago, which has the highest murder rate in the country, where children are dying every week due to gun violence (not at the hands of police), this is the worst message someone could send. I believe the author intended to shed light on police brutality, but failed to do so effectively. This story lacked nuance and depth, two qualities it needed to be told well.
But what will really keep me from recommending this book is its overall message. A child who reads this book will walk away believe he or she needs to fear the police, that the police are out to get them and that they are murdering innocent children right and left. Especially in a city like Chicago, which has the highest murder rate in the country, where children are dying every week due to gun violence (not at the hands of police), this is the worst message someone could send. I believe the author intended to shed light on police brutality, but failed to do so effectively. This story lacked nuance and depth, two qualities it needed to be told well.
November 21, 2017
An absolutely heart breaking but so so so important book!
With beautiful vision and gut wrenching honesty, Rhodes pulls readers into the world seen through the eyes of a recently deceased 12-year-old named Jerome. With the ghost of Emmett Till as a kind of guide, Jerome starts to understand the depths of what it means to be black in America.
As he sees his family weighed down in grief and follows the trial of the police officer who shot him, Jerome also learns that this kind of tragedy can be prevented.
This needs to be required reading for middle school age kids. I was a sobbing mess those last few pages. A very real story that happens every year to real black boys and can be preventable with peace, understanding, and compassion.
With beautiful vision and gut wrenching honesty, Rhodes pulls readers into the world seen through the eyes of a recently deceased 12-year-old named Jerome. With the ghost of Emmett Till as a kind of guide, Jerome starts to understand the depths of what it means to be black in America.
As he sees his family weighed down in grief and follows the trial of the police officer who shot him, Jerome also learns that this kind of tragedy can be prevented.
This needs to be required reading for middle school age kids. I was a sobbing mess those last few pages. A very real story that happens every year to real black boys and can be preventable with peace, understanding, and compassion.
March 1, 2019
Although i wish it ended differently, I did like this book very much :)
June 25, 2018
Skinny book, big ideas.
Jewell Parker Rhodes does it again. Ninth Ward. Towers Falling. Bayou Magic. And now Ghost Boys. She has an uncanny sense of when to float books out into the world.
Lyrically written, as we have come to expect from her, this is more than a tale of injustice; it's a unique mix of both historical AND realistic fiction. Sadly, the lines between what has happened in the past are all too close to the present ones. This is an important book at an important time. My question is, though, when will the need for books like Ghost Boys stop?
"In 1955, Mrs, Till was very, very brave. She insisted on an open casket. She wrote, 'Let the world see what I have seen.'"
"Cops must get scared a lot."
"But they shouldn't get more scared just because someone's black..."
Bear witness. My tale is told.
Wake. Only the living can make the world better.
Live and make it better. Don't let me
(Or anyone else)
Tell this tale again.
Jewell Parker Rhodes does it again. Ninth Ward. Towers Falling. Bayou Magic. And now Ghost Boys. She has an uncanny sense of when to float books out into the world.
Lyrically written, as we have come to expect from her, this is more than a tale of injustice; it's a unique mix of both historical AND realistic fiction. Sadly, the lines between what has happened in the past are all too close to the present ones. This is an important book at an important time. My question is, though, when will the need for books like Ghost Boys stop?
"In 1955, Mrs, Till was very, very brave. She insisted on an open casket. She wrote, 'Let the world see what I have seen.'"
"Cops must get scared a lot."
"But they shouldn't get more scared just because someone's black..."
Bear witness. My tale is told.
Wake. Only the living can make the world better.
Live and make it better. Don't let me
(Or anyone else)
Tell this tale again.
May 3, 2023
Ghost Boys is a powerful novel that explores the impact of racism and police brutality on young black boys. The story centers around twelve-year-old Jerome, who is shot and killed by a white police officer while playing with a toy gun in a park. After his death, Jerome's ghost witnesses the aftermath of his killing and the impact it has on his family and community. He also meets the ghosts of other young black boys who have been killed due to racial violence.
This should be a recommended English book for middle schoolers. The story is heartbreaking and thought provoking, and it is written in a way that young readers can read while given difficult topics. It lightly touches on the civil rights movement and social injustice in America. This is an important and timely novel that tackles difficult issues with sensitivity. It is a must read for young adults. Even though I didn’t realize it was a middle school book I still loved the story and message.
4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. Highly recommend for middle schoolers.
This should be a recommended English book for middle schoolers. The story is heartbreaking and thought provoking, and it is written in a way that young readers can read while given difficult topics. It lightly touches on the civil rights movement and social injustice in America. This is an important and timely novel that tackles difficult issues with sensitivity. It is a must read for young adults. Even though I didn’t realize it was a middle school book I still loved the story and message.
4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. Highly recommend for middle schoolers.
March 10, 2018
In a world where we are inundated daily with terror and hate, we are taught to fear first, think later. This is the heartbreaking story of one young boy’s death when he is shot by a policeman and how his ghost will bear witness to the breadth of the devastation that follows.
Jewell Parker Rhodes’ GHOST BOYS addresses a slice of the rampant racism that still exists in our “enlightened” society. Jerome will witness the devastation of his family as they crumble as individuals forgetting to stand together with love. He will also see the aftermath of the shooting on the officer and his family when he meets the daughter of the white officer who pulled the trigger. Sarah must face the realization that the man she has looked to for shelter and caring is as flawed as any human, there will be no do-overs, no taking back his actions.
There are lessons to be learned and Ms. Rhodes has done a remarkable job with her creation of Jerome and Sarah. She has scored a direct hit with their relationship and the conflict of youthful emotions. I did have a trouble with the introduction of the ghost of Emmett Till. His story is true, it is an abomination, it is evil at its worst, compounded. It almost felt too calculating and inflammatory. Nowhere throughout this story did I truly see an attempt at healing of the world community of races.
We tend to forget that racism is not only a “black and white” issue. I think that is my biggest problem with this book. It isolates racism into a narrow cubbyhole when it should be embracing the world.
Is it age appropriate for middle grade readers? Yes. Does it give a realistic and complete view of racism that is unbiased? I just feel it fell short, in spite of the writing talent of this author. I wanted to champion this book, to share it, but I can't.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Children's Fiction , Middle Grade!
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 17, 2018)
Publication Date: April 17, 2018
Genre: Children's Books | Fantasy w/a message
Print Length: 224 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Jewell Parker Rhodes’ GHOST BOYS addresses a slice of the rampant racism that still exists in our “enlightened” society. Jerome will witness the devastation of his family as they crumble as individuals forgetting to stand together with love. He will also see the aftermath of the shooting on the officer and his family when he meets the daughter of the white officer who pulled the trigger. Sarah must face the realization that the man she has looked to for shelter and caring is as flawed as any human, there will be no do-overs, no taking back his actions.
There are lessons to be learned and Ms. Rhodes has done a remarkable job with her creation of Jerome and Sarah. She has scored a direct hit with their relationship and the conflict of youthful emotions. I did have a trouble with the introduction of the ghost of Emmett Till. His story is true, it is an abomination, it is evil at its worst, compounded. It almost felt too calculating and inflammatory. Nowhere throughout this story did I truly see an attempt at healing of the world community of races.
We tend to forget that racism is not only a “black and white” issue. I think that is my biggest problem with this book. It isolates racism into a narrow cubbyhole when it should be embracing the world.
Is it age appropriate for middle grade readers? Yes. Does it give a realistic and complete view of racism that is unbiased? I just feel it fell short, in spite of the writing talent of this author. I wanted to champion this book, to share it, but I can't.
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Children's Fiction , Middle Grade!
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 17, 2018)
Publication Date: April 17, 2018
Genre: Children's Books | Fantasy w/a message
Print Length: 224 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Read
October 14, 2020Only the living can make the world better. -Jerome
This is another truly heartbreaking yet all too common story, albeit a work of fiction based on real-life events.
We begin with the unjust and brutal murder of a twelve-year-old boy named Jerome Rogers by a police officer. Jerome is having an out-of-body experience realizing he is dead as he watches how his family is grieving and devastated by his sudden and violent death. He tries to communicate with them and wants to comfort them but discovers that he can't because he is dead. Yet, he believes his grandmother can sense his presence by some things she says and how she responds when his spirit is around her.
He sees another boy, dressed in clothes from a different era. A ghost boy. He says his name is Emmett Till who later tells him the story about how he died unjustly. Then he sees other boys, all are ghosts, walking around who also died racially-charged violent deaths.
He discovers that Sarah, the daughter of the cop who shot and killed him can see and hear him. She is infuriated with her father for what he has done, but she still loves him. Jerome's story as with many of the other stories about the "ghost boys" she researched empowers her to work on a project to advocate for social justice and to keep the memory of the lives taken by the hands of racism alive. In the process, Jerome reminds her to forgive her father, which she does.
Carlos, Jerome's friend, feels a deep sense of guilt about convincing Jerome to take his toy gun home to play with. This was the toy gun that Jerome was playing with when he was fatally shot playing by himself in the park. Jerome's family forgives him.
Racial prejudices and tensions haunt us through systemic racism. By bearing witness we can influence and empower others to do better and help to improve the world.
This is another truly heartbreaking yet all too common story, albeit a work of fiction based on real-life events.
We begin with the unjust and brutal murder of a twelve-year-old boy named Jerome Rogers by a police officer. Jerome is having an out-of-body experience realizing he is dead as he watches how his family is grieving and devastated by his sudden and violent death. He tries to communicate with them and wants to comfort them but discovers that he can't because he is dead. Yet, he believes his grandmother can sense his presence by some things she says and how she responds when his spirit is around her.
He sees another boy, dressed in clothes from a different era. A ghost boy. He says his name is Emmett Till who later tells him the story about how he died unjustly. Then he sees other boys, all are ghosts, walking around who also died racially-charged violent deaths.
He discovers that Sarah, the daughter of the cop who shot and killed him can see and hear him. She is infuriated with her father for what he has done, but she still loves him. Jerome's story as with many of the other stories about the "ghost boys" she researched empowers her to work on a project to advocate for social justice and to keep the memory of the lives taken by the hands of racism alive. In the process, Jerome reminds her to forgive her father, which she does.
Carlos, Jerome's friend, feels a deep sense of guilt about convincing Jerome to take his toy gun home to play with. This was the toy gun that Jerome was playing with when he was fatally shot playing by himself in the park. Jerome's family forgives him.
Racial prejudices and tensions haunt us through systemic racism. By bearing witness we can influence and empower others to do better and help to improve the world.
July 13, 2018
This book is heartbreaking but is such an important book. It is one that I hope gets into the hands of as many kids as possible because as Rhodes states in the afterword, it is our youth that will be able to “dismantle personal and systemic racism.”
I love the way Rhodes writes and this book is no exception. Told from the perspective of Jerome, a 12 year old boy killed by a police officer, it is a complex & necessary look at the current state of our world.
I received an ARC of this book from Little, Brown.
I love the way Rhodes writes and this book is no exception. Told from the perspective of Jerome, a 12 year old boy killed by a police officer, it is a complex & necessary look at the current state of our world.
I received an ARC of this book from Little, Brown.
February 8, 2019
GHOST BOYS – 5 STARS
I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. This was such a moving and raw story and one of the first Middle-Grade books I’ve read that deals with police brutality. I really like how Jewell handled the story and made it to where children reading this would understand it. I hope more kids pick this one up. If you enjoyed The Hate U Give, pick this one up, you will not regret it. I also read this with the audiobook so I’d say to read both at the same time.
I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year. This was such a moving and raw story and one of the first Middle-Grade books I’ve read that deals with police brutality. I really like how Jewell handled the story and made it to where children reading this would understand it. I hope more kids pick this one up. If you enjoyed The Hate U Give, pick this one up, you will not regret it. I also read this with the audiobook so I’d say to read both at the same time.
September 10, 2018
A MUST READ. I've never read a book that has so smoothly and effectively utilized POV to characterize a protagonist and supplementary characters. This book shows readers at every age that it is their duty to stand by what they believe in and use their lives to promote positive change. Very important.
April 27, 2018
For Jerome Rogers, living in his low-income Chicago neighborhood can be dangerous, but so can going to middle school. There, Jerome is the target of three bullies, Eddie, Snap, and Mike, who enjoy doing things to him like dumping out his backpack, hitting him in the head, or pulling down his pants. Jerome has no friends, and eats his lunch in a bathroom, locker room or supply closet - hiding out alone.
That is, until Carlos arrives. Carlos, a Mexican American boy, is the new kid in school, originally from Texas and Jerome unwillingly ends up showing him the ropes to avoid the bullies. But when they are discovered in a boy's bathroom eating lunch, Carlos pulls a gun on Eddie, Snap, and Mike. Not realizing it's a toy gun, the bullies back down.
Carlos gives the toy gun to Jerome, who doesn't want it, but takes it anyway. One day, allowed to go out and play, Jerome is playing an imaginary game of good guy/bad guy in a rundown park with the toy gun when police arrive and one shoots him in the back when he tries to run away.
Later, at a preliminary hearing, the white officer claims he had no choice but to shoot, that he thought Jerome was bigger, older and had a real gun, and despite shooting him from his patrol car, he said he feared for his life.
The chapters switch between Jerome's real life (Alive), in which he recounts his life and the actual events leading up to the shooting and his death, to his afterlife (Dead), in which, as a ghost, he is privy to seeing things he never would have seen when he was alive. Jerome goes to his home and observes what life is now like for his - family, mother, father, younger sister Kim, and grandmother. He also finds himself in the bedroom of Sarah Moore, also 12, and the middle class daughter of the police officer who shot him. Jerome is frequently accompanied by the ghost of Emmett Till, a name Jerome recognizes from conversations at home, but doesn't really know the details of Emmett's death in 1955.
Emmett is there to help Jerome understand what happened to him. Slowly, as Jerome sees other ghost boys just like Emmett and himself, he begins to understand just how deep and far-reading the roots of historical racism run in this country, so much so that a snap decision based on those roots and the often unconscious acceptance of racism can end the life of a 12 year old black boy playing in a park.
On the whole, I thought this was a well-done, very accessible book for middle grade readers (I don't think there are any others about young black kids being killed by white police officers, but if you know of one, please share the title). By connecting Emmett Till's lynching and murder by white racists in Mississippi in 1955 with Jerome's murder by a Chicago police officer Rhodes shows the reader that their deaths really are one and the same - death by racism.
And although this sounds horribly depressing, Rhodes leaves the reader with reason to hope that change is possible. Remembering, making these killings real for people and working towards change and social justice are the important points of Ghost Boys. As Emmett tells Jerome "Bear witness...Everyone needs their story heard. Felt. We honor each other. Connect across time." But this is where I found one flaw in the the novel.
In 1955, Emmett Till's death sparks the Civil Rights Movement. Being an agent of change here is the work that Rhodes gives to Sarah Moore to do in this novel. Why? Why perpetuate the idea that only white people (here a girl) can be the helpers or agents of change and that black people (here a boy) can only be the victims, thus supporting ideas of gender and race stereotypes. Jerome's younger sister, Kim is a pretty smart girl and, if she had been only a few years older, could have been just as if not more effective than Sarah at working towards change and social justice.
Despite this, Ghost Boys isn't perfect, but it is definitely a book that most middle graders need to read.
And if Jerome's story sounds familiar to you, perhaps it's because of the close parallel to another murder, that of Tamir Rice, also a 12 year old black boy killed by a white Cleveland, Ohio cop on November 22, 2014 and mentioned in the book.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an EARC received from Net Galley
That is, until Carlos arrives. Carlos, a Mexican American boy, is the new kid in school, originally from Texas and Jerome unwillingly ends up showing him the ropes to avoid the bullies. But when they are discovered in a boy's bathroom eating lunch, Carlos pulls a gun on Eddie, Snap, and Mike. Not realizing it's a toy gun, the bullies back down.
Carlos gives the toy gun to Jerome, who doesn't want it, but takes it anyway. One day, allowed to go out and play, Jerome is playing an imaginary game of good guy/bad guy in a rundown park with the toy gun when police arrive and one shoots him in the back when he tries to run away.
Later, at a preliminary hearing, the white officer claims he had no choice but to shoot, that he thought Jerome was bigger, older and had a real gun, and despite shooting him from his patrol car, he said he feared for his life.
The chapters switch between Jerome's real life (Alive), in which he recounts his life and the actual events leading up to the shooting and his death, to his afterlife (Dead), in which, as a ghost, he is privy to seeing things he never would have seen when he was alive. Jerome goes to his home and observes what life is now like for his - family, mother, father, younger sister Kim, and grandmother. He also finds himself in the bedroom of Sarah Moore, also 12, and the middle class daughter of the police officer who shot him. Jerome is frequently accompanied by the ghost of Emmett Till, a name Jerome recognizes from conversations at home, but doesn't really know the details of Emmett's death in 1955.
Emmett is there to help Jerome understand what happened to him. Slowly, as Jerome sees other ghost boys just like Emmett and himself, he begins to understand just how deep and far-reading the roots of historical racism run in this country, so much so that a snap decision based on those roots and the often unconscious acceptance of racism can end the life of a 12 year old black boy playing in a park.
On the whole, I thought this was a well-done, very accessible book for middle grade readers (I don't think there are any others about young black kids being killed by white police officers, but if you know of one, please share the title). By connecting Emmett Till's lynching and murder by white racists in Mississippi in 1955 with Jerome's murder by a Chicago police officer Rhodes shows the reader that their deaths really are one and the same - death by racism.
And although this sounds horribly depressing, Rhodes leaves the reader with reason to hope that change is possible. Remembering, making these killings real for people and working towards change and social justice are the important points of Ghost Boys. As Emmett tells Jerome "Bear witness...Everyone needs their story heard. Felt. We honor each other. Connect across time." But this is where I found one flaw in the the novel.
In 1955, Emmett Till's death sparks the Civil Rights Movement. Being an agent of change here is the work that Rhodes gives to Sarah Moore to do in this novel. Why? Why perpetuate the idea that only white people (here a girl) can be the helpers or agents of change and that black people (here a boy) can only be the victims, thus supporting ideas of gender and race stereotypes. Jerome's younger sister, Kim is a pretty smart girl and, if she had been only a few years older, could have been just as if not more effective than Sarah at working towards change and social justice.
Despite this, Ghost Boys isn't perfect, but it is definitely a book that most middle graders need to read.
And if Jerome's story sounds familiar to you, perhaps it's because of the close parallel to another murder, that of Tamir Rice, also a 12 year old black boy killed by a white Cleveland, Ohio cop on November 22, 2014 and mentioned in the book.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an EARC received from Net Galley
October 19, 2019
This book made me uncomfortable and not in the good, learning-about-other-perspectives way.
I admittedly don't read a whole lot of middle grade, and I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction (which, despite the appearance of ghosts, is what I would consider this). This still struck me as off the mark because ultimately, the story goes:
1. 12 year old Black boy (Jerome) is shot by cops
2. The ghost of Emmett Till shows up
3. They both meet the (White) daughter of the (White) cop who shot Jerome
4. They teach the cop's daughter about racism
5. The cop dodges prosecution for the murder
6. Cop's daughter gets mad, starts doing social justice work, stops talking to her dad
7. Jerome is sad the cop and his family are sad and encourages the daughter to make up with her dad and teach him how to be not racist.
Featuring guest appearances by the ghosts of Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice.
There is no real place for anger in this book. The scant handful of times Jerome gets angry, he feels bad or someone tells him to chill. There's a lot of grief and a lot of guilt, but there is no acknowledgment of the validity of anger. The cop is portrayed as an extremely sympathetic character - not a multidimensional character, a good guy who made a bad mistake. Because cops are scared too, yknow? Their job is hard.
It was uncomfortable seeing portrayals of young, Black boys who were murdered - whose parents got angry and fought/are fighting for change - being used in a "let's forgive and rehabilitate racists" storyline. It was uncomfortable seeing such a talked-up book for middle schoolers more or less ignore the ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE anger that should come from grown men murdering little kids. It was uncomfortable seeing a book that not only denied these characters the right to anger, but then turned around and also expected them to do the emotional labor of explaining why racism is bad.
This is complexity surrounding this issue, and that's important to handle. I don't object to it being handled at the middle grade level. I do object to it being handled in a way that invalidates the anger and fear Black kids might be feeling about yknow kids their age being murdered, and I do object to it telling those kids that the right thing to do is to just be nice and teach people not to be racist. That is an incredible burden to put on anyone but most especially children.
I admittedly don't read a whole lot of middle grade, and I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction (which, despite the appearance of ghosts, is what I would consider this). This still struck me as off the mark because ultimately, the story goes:
1. 12 year old Black boy (Jerome) is shot by cops
2. The ghost of Emmett Till shows up
3. They both meet the (White) daughter of the (White) cop who shot Jerome
4. They teach the cop's daughter about racism
5. The cop dodges prosecution for the murder
6. Cop's daughter gets mad, starts doing social justice work, stops talking to her dad
7. Jerome is sad the cop and his family are sad and encourages the daughter to make up with her dad and teach him how to be not racist.
Featuring guest appearances by the ghosts of Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice.
There is no real place for anger in this book. The scant handful of times Jerome gets angry, he feels bad or someone tells him to chill. There's a lot of grief and a lot of guilt, but there is no acknowledgment of the validity of anger. The cop is portrayed as an extremely sympathetic character - not a multidimensional character, a good guy who made a bad mistake. Because cops are scared too, yknow? Their job is hard.
It was uncomfortable seeing portrayals of young, Black boys who were murdered - whose parents got angry and fought/are fighting for change - being used in a "let's forgive and rehabilitate racists" storyline. It was uncomfortable seeing such a talked-up book for middle schoolers more or less ignore the ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE anger that should come from grown men murdering little kids. It was uncomfortable seeing a book that not only denied these characters the right to anger, but then turned around and also expected them to do the emotional labor of explaining why racism is bad.
This is complexity surrounding this issue, and that's important to handle. I don't object to it being handled at the middle grade level. I do object to it being handled in a way that invalidates the anger and fear Black kids might be feeling about yknow kids their age being murdered, and I do object to it telling those kids that the right thing to do is to just be nice and teach people not to be racist. That is an incredible burden to put on anyone but most especially children.
November 8, 2020
Trigger warnings: death of a child, gun violence, racism, systemic racism, racial profiling, police shooting, death of young Black men, blood, grief, bullying.
This is a beautifully written and very compelling book that does a fantastic job of introducing younger readers (it's technically middle grade, but I definitely wouldn't give to the lower end of that market) to systemic racism and racial profiling, especially at the hands of the police.
Essentially, the book begins with a ripped-from-the-headlines concept: 12 year old Jerome being shot and killed by a white police officer because he was playing with a toy gun. Jerome finds himself as a ghost and the only person who can see his is the police officer's twelve year old daughter, Sarah. Along the way, the ghost of Emmett Till helps him to understand that he's now one of the thousands of ghost boys in America, young Black boys and men who've died at the hands of racism.
In hindsight, this was a little heavy handed at times. But it was so compelling and so heartbreakingly told and it stabbed me right in the feelings multiple times. So here we are.
This is a beautifully written and very compelling book that does a fantastic job of introducing younger readers (it's technically middle grade, but I definitely wouldn't give to the lower end of that market) to systemic racism and racial profiling, especially at the hands of the police.
Essentially, the book begins with a ripped-from-the-headlines concept: 12 year old Jerome being shot and killed by a white police officer because he was playing with a toy gun. Jerome finds himself as a ghost and the only person who can see his is the police officer's twelve year old daughter, Sarah. Along the way, the ghost of Emmett Till helps him to understand that he's now one of the thousands of ghost boys in America, young Black boys and men who've died at the hands of racism.
In hindsight, this was a little heavy handed at times. But it was so compelling and so heartbreakingly told and it stabbed me right in the feelings multiple times. So here we are.
May 19, 2018
Several new Black Lives Matter fictional stories have used the magical realism element of the dead to tell their story as a whole or partially (I Am Alfonso Jones, Long Way Down, and Ghost Boys). What makes me most proud of these stories is the writing that elicits a stark emotional response for the characters and questions the world we live in.
Rhodes uses the twelve year old Jerome, dead after a white police officer mistakes his toy gun for a real one, and who he meets in the afterlife, a fellow ghost boy, yet a historical figure- Emmett Till then engages a white character, the cop's young daughter as a juxtaposition like in All American Boys.
The book is effortlessly beautiful and sad. And Carlos, the new Latinx friend is just as powerful as Jerome's own sister too. Admitting wrong and finding a way to heal together is an important message.
Rhodes uses the twelve year old Jerome, dead after a white police officer mistakes his toy gun for a real one, and who he meets in the afterlife, a fellow ghost boy, yet a historical figure- Emmett Till then engages a white character, the cop's young daughter as a juxtaposition like in All American Boys.
The book is effortlessly beautiful and sad. And Carlos, the new Latinx friend is just as powerful as Jerome's own sister too. Admitting wrong and finding a way to heal together is an important message.
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