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Ghost Boys

On sale

19th April 2018

Price: £7.99

Selected:  Paperback / ISBN-13: 9781510104396

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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.

Reviews

BookTrust
This is a beautiful and tragic book that is unfortunately very necessary right now.
Jennifer Harris, Reading Zone - Teacher review
This is a must-read book, an opportunity to talk about race, as well as an emotional and involving story.
BookTrust
Rhodes achieves a lot in this relatively short book, dealing with grief, history, the idea of biases (both conscious and unconscious) and the fight for justice. This is a beautiful and tragic book that is unfortunately very necessary right now.
The Book Witch
...heartbreaking. [...] This is a strong book.
Scoop
This is a truly eye-opening story equality and racism.
Read by Jess
This story will absorb you and break your heart.
Matt Long, Reading Zone
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Primary Times
This is an incredibly moving and at times harrowing story with unbelievable moments, some sadly based on true events. A thought provoking story for older, mature juniors offering much to discuss.
The Good Schools Guide - Chalk & Chat
A thought-provoking and timely read for children aged 11 and up.
Angie Thomas, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give
This was one of my most anticipated 2018 books and I was not disappointed. A must read.
Jill Murphy, The Bookbag
A powerful story about police violence in the United States, invoking the real life killings of Tamir Rice and Emmett Till. Jerome's story is a call to action, told unflinchingly but with great humanity.
The Observer New Review
...the protagonist of Jewell Parker Rhodes's tender, timely Ghost Boys (Orion £6.99) - 12-year-old Jerome - dies on page one. Unmoored from life, he switches between the events that led to his death (borrowed toy gun, trigger-happy white police officer) and its surprising and hopeful aftermath.
Victoria Long, Reading Zone - School Librarian Review
This is one of those books that you love, but it's uncomfortable. It's upsetting and it's disconcerting. You feel helpless and angry. The writing is fantastic [...]
Ann Lazin - Literature & Library Development Manager at CLPE, Research Rich Pedagogies
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement comes this novel by an African American writer whose writing has been too long delayed in reaching UK readers [...] a fast-paced and gripping, as well as thought-provoking, read.