Play Book Tag discussion

Ghost - Jason Reynolds

5 stars

Good Reads Description:
Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves.

Ghost has a crazy natural talent, but no formal training. If he can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons—it all starting with running away from his father, who, when Ghost was a very little boy, chased him and his mother through their apartment, then down the street, with a loaded gun, aiming to kill. Since then, Ghost has been the one causing problems—and running away from them—until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who blew his own shot at success by using drugs, and who is determined to keep other kids from blowing their shots at life.

My thoughts:
This book was great. It even managed to engage my daughter who usually will only read books about characters who are like her. I love the growth that Ghost shows throughout the book and that he made mistakes and had to face consequences. I liked that the main characters was not the suburban, middle class kid that is prevalent in many books aimed at this age group. I appreciated that the characters were not stereotypes that show up in many books. I am looking forward to reading about more of the group in other books in the series.

Is this one YA, Cora?

Anita wrote: "Is this one YA, Cora?"

It is more middle school than YA I think. It was on my daughter's middle school "Book Wars" list. She is going into 7th grade.

I happen to have one going into 7th grade too...

Ahh, something called "Book Wars" sounds super fun!!

I just finished it too. A quick read - 7th graders like that. I liked it too.