Ghost Boys
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
A New York Times Bestseller
This was one of my most anticipated 2018 books and I was not disappointed. A must read." -Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give
'tender, timely ... surprising and hopeful' - Observer
A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a white police officer, drawing connections with real-life, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes.
ALIVE
Twelve-year-old Jerome doesn't get into trouble. He goes to school. He does his homework. He takes care of his little sister.
Then Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat.
DEAD
As a ghost, watching his family trying to cope with his death, Jerome begins to notice other ghost boys.
Each boy has a story and they all have something in common...
Bit by bit, Jerome begins to understand what really happened - not just to him, but to all of the ghost boys.
A poignant and gripping story about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today's world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in an impoverished Chicago neighborhood, this somber story blends history with current events. Jerome Rogers, a black 12-year-old, is playing outside with a toy gun when he is shot and killed by a white policeman who views him as a threat. Now Jerome wanders the earth with other "ghost boys" whose deaths are all connected to bigotry. Ironically, the only human who can see Jerome is Sarah, the young daughter of the officer who took his life. Jerome meets the ghost of Emmett Till and learns the horrific details of his murder. Emmett, like the other ghost boys, cannot rest until the world is swept clean of discriminatory violence; maybe Jerome can help if he can make Sarah understand that her father's act was a result of deeply ingrained racism. Rhodes writes in short, poetic chapters that offer graphic depictions of avoidable tragedies; her hope for a better world packs a powerful punch, delivering a call to action to speak out against prejudice and erase harmful misconceptions. Ages 10 up.)
