Ghost Boys

Jewell Parker Rhodes's "Ghost Boys" is a heartbreaking and essential middle-grade novel that tackles the profound issues of racism, police violence, and historical injustice through the eyes of 12-year-old Jerome. After being shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real weapon, Jerome returns as a ghost. He witnesses the devastating impact on his family and community, and finds guidance from the ghost of Emmett Till, a boy murdered in 1955 under similar circumstances. The book also introduces Sarah, the officer's daughter, who grapples with her father's actions. This novel is a powerful tool for opening conversations about systemic racism, empathy, and the importance of striving for a better world, making it suitable for mature readers aged 8-12.

A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a police officer, drawing connections through history, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes. An instant New York Times bestsellerAn instant IndieBound bestsellerThe #1 Kids' Indie Next PickA Walter Award winner Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better. 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.