Ghost Boys

Written by Jewell Parker Rhodes

A boy's ghost seeks justice and understanding after a tragic police shooting.

4.3 Goodreads · 34,222 ratings

214 pages· 20,182 words· Est. 2.5 hour read· HL360L

$16.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Twelve-year-old Jerome is killed by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a threat. As a ghost, he witnesses his family's grief and meets Emmett Till, another victim of racial violence. Together, they explore the roots of historical racism. Jerome also encounters Sarah, the officer's daughter, who struggles with her father's actions. This poignant tale weaves history and modern-day challenges, as Jerome learns about American blackness and the power of the living to create change.

From the publisher

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. 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.