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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
This book is an important reminder that we can all be agents of change.
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5/4 ish stars
definitely a good elementary/middle school level read
addresses police brutality and racial prejudice. appreciate the inclusion of emmett till and other victims of biased police brutality.
definitely a good elementary/middle school level read
addresses police brutality and racial prejudice. appreciate the inclusion of emmett till and other victims of biased police brutality.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Middle Grade is not something I can say that I have ever picked up as an adult, but I took a children's literature class and read this for my final project. Let's get into it.
So this book follows Jerome who has been shot and killed by a police officer at age 12. He lives in a rough neighbourhood in Chicago, and has an extremely loving family and a best friend named Carlos who has just moved to Chicago from San Antonio, TX. The story follows Jerome alive and as a ghost after his death where he meets Emmett Till (If you are not familiar with the story of Emmett Till, I highly encourage you to look it up). Jerome can also only see and communicate with one person as a ghost and that was Sarah, the police officer's daughter. Both Jerome's family and Sarah's family are deeply affected by the shooting aftermath and trial, but in the end it is up to Jerome to find forgiveness in Sarah and Sarah to find forgiveness in herself in order to continue on.
I thought this book was simple and didn't attempt to soften anything violent like Emmett Till or Jerome's death. Themes of bullying, the holocaust, poverty and race were also present and done well (holocaust was only briefly mentioned). There were moments where I was upset by the lack of flushing out the author did coming from reading adult fiction, but I think Ghost Boys tells an extremely important story that is well done for anyone of any age. I do like that the book ended on a relieving note, but I do wish it was a bit more realistic (and I had this problem with The Hate U Give) where it almost seems like everything is suddenly fine with everyone, but I understand that it is also the reading level of the novels that determines how in depth we are able to go where the reader is able to comprehend what is happening.
Overall, very very good book for teachers looking to open up conversations about Black Lives Matter at the grade school level (I would say any grade between 4-8). This does a similar thing to The Hate U Give in that they both deal with the issue of police brutality on black boys with a complex socio-economic commentary but this one is done much simpler. Overall just an amazing read, and it really does make me want to dive into some more middle grade because I think having a wide knowledge of what literature is out there for children can be really helpful as someone who wants to go into teaching but also as someone who is deeply concerned with what literature we make available to young people.
So this book follows Jerome who has been shot and killed by a police officer at age 12. He lives in a rough neighbourhood in Chicago, and has an extremely loving family and a best friend named Carlos who has just moved to Chicago from San Antonio, TX. The story follows Jerome alive and as a ghost after his death where he meets Emmett Till (If you are not familiar with the story of Emmett Till, I highly encourage you to look it up). Jerome can also only see and communicate with one person as a ghost and that was Sarah, the police officer's daughter. Both Jerome's family and Sarah's family are deeply affected by the shooting aftermath and trial, but in the end it is up to Jerome to find forgiveness in Sarah and Sarah to find forgiveness in herself in order to continue on.
I thought this book was simple and didn't attempt to soften anything violent like Emmett Till or Jerome's death. Themes of bullying, the holocaust, poverty and race were also present and done well (holocaust was only briefly mentioned). There were moments where I was upset by the lack of flushing out the author did coming from reading adult fiction, but I think Ghost Boys tells an extremely important story that is well done for anyone of any age. I do like that the book ended on a relieving note, but I do wish it was a bit more realistic (and I had this problem with The Hate U Give) where it almost seems like everything is suddenly fine with everyone, but I understand that it is also the reading level of the novels that determines how in depth we are able to go where the reader is able to comprehend what is happening.
Overall, very very good book for teachers looking to open up conversations about Black Lives Matter at the grade school level (I would say any grade between 4-8). This does a similar thing to The Hate U Give in that they both deal with the issue of police brutality on black boys with a complex socio-economic commentary but this one is done much simpler. Overall just an amazing read, and it really does make me want to dive into some more middle grade because I think having a wide knowledge of what literature is out there for children can be really helpful as someone who wants to go into teaching but also as someone who is deeply concerned with what literature we make available to young people.
The prose is so accessible to many levels of readers, and Parker Rhodes deftly handles the nuances of police brutality—the impact on Black communities, white evasion or erasure of guilt, and how to move forward. This book also teaches readers about Emmett Till and his story, linking that history to the contemporary BLM movement and police brutality. Highly recommend for all ages and in schools.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Child death
