Ghost
Best Fiction
Reynolds, J. (2016). Ghost. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Castle
Crenshaw goes by the name Ghost because he can run fast. The first time he ran,
he was running for his life! His father pulled
a gun and on him and his mom and used it.
Living in the projects of Glass Manor, dealing
with his dad’s incarceration, eating leftover cafeteria food every night for
dinner from his mother’s job and being bullied at school has been the way of
life for him.
His dad has
been in jail for a couple of years but, the trauma is still there. He and his mom have not slept in their rooms
since the incident and Ghost has been getting into a lot of altercations at
school.
One day he
happens upon a track practice and decides to join all the other spectators. On
an impulse, he decides to challenge one of the elite runners to a race-and
wins. The Coach takes notice and ask him
to join the team. Coach sees the potential but also quickly realizes Ghost has
more to work on than just running. Coach
decides to take him under his wing.
During the process, he gets into a few fights and shoplifts. Jeopardizing his future on the team before it
evens starts, Ghost finds himself caring enough about being on the team and
changes his behavior for the better. Coach teaches him how to use running to
move forward in life and not to escape the past. When the first competitive
race is held, Ghost runs the hundred meters.
From that day, he learns you can’t run away from yourself, “ain’t nobody
that fast.”
Reflection
Ghost is an excellent
book for young readers. No matter your
gender, race or background, it is relatable.
It is a sensitive realistic depiction of a young boy dealing with trauma
and trying to avoid the everyday struggles of living in poverty and despair. His approach is refreshing and leaves you
wanting more. The authors ability to bring the characters to life, the
straightforwardness, and the authenticity is seamless.
Ghost YouTube Book
Trailer
Books by Jason Reynolds
No comments:
Post a Comment