Ghost Boys Written by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Reviewed by Luka, Age 13

This book is about a well-behaved black American boy, Jerome (the protagonist) who lives in a rough and poor area in Chicago with his family and has been killed by a white police officer. He was innocently playing outside with a fake gun and the policeman presumed he had a real gun and the policeman shot him because of his skin colour. His family are distraught and inconsolable following his death and they cannot overcome their loss easily. His murder is brought to court and the family argued against the policeman’s testimony.

When Jerome becomes a ghost, he discovers other ghost boys are killed like him and he realises the amount of unfairness and injustice there has been amongst black people. This book brings awareness to the racism and prejudice in society through his eyes.

The story is told through flashbacks of when Jerome was alive and dead and I liked this clever technique because it was creative and more understandable of how he becomes dead at the end of the story. It makes the readers engage in the story.

Also, I liked it when his family and friends celebrated his death peacefully on the Day of the Dead (1st November) to honour his memory and change his life rather than being sorrowful.

I liked the way that Jerome was illustrated blue when he was a ghost, the overall illustration of the book was very expressive and beautiful.

I did not feel good when the policeman lied in court by saying that Jerome was threatening him with the gun. He did not warn Jerome before shooting and it is obvious that he would not have shot a 12 year old white boy in an affluent area. Also, it was heartbreaking to read about the part of the story when Jerome and Carlos (the new student) got bullied by his peers.

Overall, I think this story deserves an 8 out of 10 because it was a powerful, unforgettable and emotional book and I learnt the importance of tackling racism. I would recommend this to people who are 11 and above because it has some violence but it delivers strong and meaningful messages by Jewell Parker Rhodes.