Ghost (Track)

Ghost, the main character's chosen nickname, is the first of an anticipated series of books that will set an elite middle school track team on a trajectory toward qualifying for the Junior Olympics. It was a 2016 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature. Ghost takes you inside the head of a middle school boy with a past in danger of getting expelled from school unless he can control his temper, find the courage to tell the truth and share his secrets with his team mates.

My 10 yo daughter was supposed to read this book for school. I'm glad I read the back first and then proceeded to read the book myself. I found it too mature for her age group. The first chapter describes an incident where the main character is being chased down the street by his father who has a loaded gun and is trying to kill him and his mother. This is a major plot point throughout the story. The book also talks about the coach whose father was a drug addict and punched him in the face knocking out his teeth and then sold his Olympic medal for drug money. I think this book does a good job with its theme of overcoming hard things in life and not giving up hope but I think 10 is a little young for it. I am surprised at how many online reviews think 10 is an appropriate age for such mature themes. I suggest you read it yourself first to see if it is something your child can handle. I'm pretty sure my daughter would be disturbed and she will not be reading this.

Ghost learned to run fast thanks to running away from his abusive father who is now in jail. Still, Ghost keeps on running to escape the memories of his final night with his father and the truth of his family. When Ghost sees a group of teens running track, he thinks that he can outrun even the fastest of them. He races alongside the track and finds himself invited to join the team. Ghost through can’t afford the gear the other kids are using and also can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble long enough to focus on running at all. When Ghost makes another mistake and steals silver track shoes from a store while he is cutting class, he finds himself with yet another secret to keep bottled up. You can’t keep running away from problems and trouble though and soon they catch up with Ghost.

From the co-author of All American Boys and author of The Boy in the Black Suit comes this first book in a series about teens and the way track and being on a team affects their lives. This is a book that shines with hope throughout, even as Ghost is making the worst of his mistakes, there is still hope there. That hope comes from Ghost’s mother and from his new coach who gives him chances but also clarifies the new expectations that Ghost has to meet. It is that structure that allows readers to hope and root for Ghost as he negotiates his complex life.

This is a book that will be enjoyed by many children, not just those who enjoy sports or track. It will speak to them about transformation in their lives, opportunities that appear, and the hard work it takes to change and to trust. It is a book about friendships that deepen over time driven by becoming a new team together. It is a book about the power of positive adults in a child’s life and the power of belief in that child or teen.

Beautifully written, this is an accessible and powerful book about running towards the life you want. Appropriate for ages 12-14.

I am beyond excited that Jason Reynolds now has middle grades books to share with our younger students, and even more so that he is starting a series! Ghost is a great start and introduction to these characters and this neighborhood.

This story held me captivated the whole way through. There is a lyrical nature to Jason's writing, and an authenticity to the characters, that makes me want to crawl into their world. I can see so many of my students in his characters lives, actions, thoughts, and comments.

Ghost is a quick read, and a great length for younger middle grades readers, that will keep them engaged as it moves along with the story at a good pace. And the characters are diverse, yet it's deftly written as just a story about kids lives.

As this is the first book in a series, we get to know Ghost much more in depth than the other newbies to the track team, but there are hints at what their stories might contain when we get to their books that left me eager for the second book.

I'd recommend this for 4th-8th grade.

Ghost is my second Jason Reynolds read. I read Long Way Down earlier this year. I thoroughly enjoyed that book, rating it a solid 5, and Ghost was even better, but since my rating system only goes up to 5, let's just call it a 5+. Before I get further into my review, I'd like to thank the Fort Worth Library for this borrowed copy. Support your local library.

In my opinion, this book was absolutely perfect. Books don't normally make me cry, but this one did, not necessarily because it is sad, but rather because it evokes so much emotion. The characters are real and the writing is spot on, creating vivid imagery for the reader.

Ghost is the nickname of Castle Cranshaw, a middle school-aged boy who inadvertently joins the community track team, The Defenders. He challenges one of the new team members to a race where the coach notices he has natural running talent. Later, we learn that not only is Ghost running for sport, he's also running from some personal demons - issues that most children this age face, but some heavier than being bullied at school.

The book also highlights several other characters who are on the track team, allowing Reynolds to set up Ghost as the first book in a series of books featuring these characters. I don't read a lot of young adult fiction. I don't always enjoy reading series (too much of a commitment), but this one was so good! I'm invested to check out the others. Stay tuned for future reviews!

Recommendation: I absolutely adored this story. Reynolds is becoming one of my favorite authors (even though I may not be his target audience). I think young and old alike can appreciate the author's ability to craft a beautifully real and engaging story. Ghost is a part of PBS' Great American Read. If you love Ghost as much as I did, be sure to give it a vote!

Castle Cranshaw, nicknamed Ghost, is used to running. When his father tries to kill his mother and himself, they must run to safety and hide. Now with his father in prison, he spends his time trying to run from his past and his neighborhood. He is constantly getting in fights with kids who pick on him.

One day Ghost races another boy and wins, and he is invited to join a private track team. As he learns how to be a runner, he also is inspired by his Olympic winning coach who came from the same neighborhood himself. Will Ghost put away his demons to become a great athlete?
And the trouble is, we never find out. The book goes in that direction and then just ends as he’s about to run his first race against his nemesis. I was greatly disappointed by the ending. I guess the good thing was Ghost was finally taking his aggression out by running rather than with his fists.

I liked the character of Ghost and his journey. I also liked all the running talk as a former sprinter myself. I had never heard of this book until it was listed in the PBS Great American Read. While I liked that this story was unique, I would not have picked it to be in the top 100 most loved books in America.

Favorite Quote:

“Trouble is, you can’t run away from yourself.”

Overall, Ghost is an interesting young adult novel coming of age novel.

Book Source: The Kewaunee Public Library

Castle (Ghost) Crenshaw is the next best basketball player (even though he's never gotten on the courts), is from the wrong side of town, is somewhat obsessed with world records, has some trouble knowing what to do with the screams inside, and tries to hide the fact that his dad's in prison for trying to shoot him and his mom. On the night his dad shot at them, Ghost discovered he can run really fast when he needs to. But he never really thought about running as a real sport, until the day he accidentally lands himself on a club track team and his mom actually agrees with the coach to let him join. He has to make sure there are no incidents at school and that his homework gets done, and coach holds him to both. Ghost thought he'd just be learning to run, but maybe joining track will help him learn how to stop running from issues he's ignored for years.

I've met a few Ghosts in my time teaching. They're not the easiest kids to get through to, often have a stigma of being trouble, but they need a breakthrough and healthy attention more than anyone usually. This story read incredibly authentically. Ghost feels like a kid who could have come out of the inner city. And the situation is a quite plausible hopeful story about how one such kid would meet a coach who could get behind the walls he's built and help him start to turning his life around. I like how the book pokes fun of typical sports stories and that they usually end with either the star winning or dying. This one avoids both of those by leaving you hanging a little. It ends as Ghost starts his first race and you don't learn the results. However, this is just the first of a series about kids on the same track team, so I expect to find out the results in a future book. A great sports book and believable voice to represent kids who've had a rough childhood. This book definitely deserves all the hype it's getting.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Parental abuse is mentioned, but the worst injury is a broken tooth. There is a fist fight resulting in a bloody nose. Drug abuse is mentioned, but thankfully Ghost has avoided that pitfall.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

This is one of those books that once you finish reading it, you can’t just close it and walk away. You just have to say something.

Jason Reynolds is the man!!! He has a literally voice that almost any young adult can relate to. His voice is witty, humorous, genuine, gentle and authentic. The language for the genre in which he has written in is absolutely perfect. Breathtaking.

I am a mother of a fourteen-year old son and it felt as though this book was written especially for me. Through the life of his protagonist Castle “Ghost” Cranshaw, I was given a quick snapshot of what actually goes on in a kid that age head. I loved the way he taught lessons you never realized you were learning. He tackled bullying, poverty, defiance, social economic class, peer-pressure, thievery, and so much more. I closed the book with a smile and couldn’t wait to pass it on to my fourteen-year old son.

Bravo Jason Williams! I look forward to reading all of your work.

Ghost is a story about Castle Crenshaw, a kid who's always been good at running. The first time he ran, he was running with his mother and their lives were on the line. Since then, running was all he knew how to do, both literally and figuratively. He grew up in a neighborhood where running from things was a necessity. His method of survival was to run. Yet, when he stumbles upon a track rehearsal and the coach sees his potential, he finds himself running for completely different reasons.

This book is a wonderful book that touches on many important themes without overcrowding the overall storyline. It is considered a middle-grade book, and is quite small in size and easy to read (you could probably finish the whole book in an hour or two tops), however, the content of the book is suitable for all age groups. It is filled with endearing characters and moments that really pull at your heartstrings.

Castle, who goes by the nickname Ghost because of his speed, is a very relatable character and goes through hardships that many can identify with. When I realized that this was the first part in a series, I was really excited as I did not feel like I was finished with these characters yet. I am excited for the near release of the second installment "Patina" and cannot wait to get back into the world of track and the wonderful characters we met in Ghost.

Absolutely incredible book. I read it to my 4th graders (I think it would be more appropriate for 5th graders as it does mention drugs and shooting people) and we couldn't get enough of it. They groaned every day when I stopped reading. The characters were so dynamic and complicated, yet relatable. I had students share things about their personal life that they hadn't shared before as a result of this book. I loved the numerous discussions that the book naturally brought up (track, albinism, race, adoption, etc.) and cannot recommend it enough. My class is already excited to read the other two books in this series, Patina and Sunny.

I love this book. I am not a kid. I am a 57 year old white lady, and I was moved to tears, laughed out loud, and felt the character Ghost's shame deep in the pit of my stomach. The writing transported me into the head of a kid who could not be more different than me, with honesty, and empathy.

This book is nominated for the 2016 National Book Award. From the nomination page:
National Book Foundation: Who did you write this book for?
Jason Reynolds: I wrote Ghost for all the young people who feel like they're suffocating, who feel like they're gasping for breath, exhausted from running for their lives, and sometimes FROM their lives. It's for both the traumatized and the triumphant.

I hope it find an audience with adults, too. We are all traumatized and triumphant in our lives, and Jason Reynolds has written a bridge across age and race to remind us we all struggle, we are all flawed, and we all deserve a chance to be better than our worst moments. This book reminds me why Literature is part of the group of studies we call "Humanities."

I hope it finds an audience well beyond young people.

I would give this more than five stars if I could that is how very much I loved it. If you asked me to name one book every fifth grader should read, this would be it. Ghost takes off running during one terrifying night and he's never stopped since. With the help of a coach who believes in him and sees beyond superficials, Ghost finds a way to channel his talent, his fears into something special. Absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone.

Ghost is a survivor of an abusive parent and he flees with his mom to start a new life. However, this experience makes him angry and angry kids have a chip on the shoulder.

Ghost is likeable from the very first page...the reader can sense his untapped ambition. And Coach, a lovable mess, steals the show as the tell-it-like-it-is, nurturing, tough guy mentor that Ghost needs.

With coach's guidance, he learns what effort, teamwork, and pride mean and it's adorable.

I felt as if Ghost and all of the characters in this book were actual people I'd met. I enjoyed the character arc of Ghost and cheered him on even when he wasn't running. I already have another book in this series checked out to start today. This author knows how to draw readers in, creates believable characters, and makes you want to keep reading.

I highly recommend this book.It is so full of emotion.I cried more than once and laughed a whole lot. I was really pulling for Ghost to get his act together,but I could totally relate where he was coming from.I know a book has to end eventually,but I would have loved to stay inside this story a little longer.This is one I will be reading again and again.

My heart is pounding as if I was just on the line with Ghost. Ghost grapples with a lot of inner turmoil throughout the book and it all comes to life with the perspective of a young man who's had a rough life. Throughout the book, I was eager to know what choices Ghost would make and how they would impact his status on the Defenders track team. As a former track team member, I didn't think there was a way to recreate the feeling of being at the line and I'm really impressed with how Reynolds recreated that tension.

I might be a grown-up, but I loved Ghost. It's a great story that provides a stepping-off platform for a bunch of different conversations, from working hard to be great at something you love to inequality. I am really looking forward to the second in Ghost's series.

I don't know how Jason Reynolds manages to crank one book out after another but I am thankful that he does. His latest book Ghost is the beginning of a series, thank you! It is a Global Read Aloud Contender, and it is oh so good for middle grade and up.

What a beautiful, moving story about ugly pasts, mistakes, records, and bright futures. Jason Reynolds's characters are vivid and vibrant, as always. I enjoyed the audiobook of this tremendously, Guy Lockard really brought our eponymous main character to life.

Read this with my 9 year old son for an assignment in fourth grade. We both loved and and still talk about even though we finished it a few months ago. It deals with some serious topics, so I was glad we read it together and could talk about it since my son younger. My 12 year old daughter read it on her own and enjoyed it. I can't wait to read more Jason Reynolds book, with or without my kids.

Coming of age stories, such as Ghost, can seem cliche and super predictable. Though Ghost has some of those cringe moments, but, for the most part, it is an entertaining read which has you totally hooked by the end.

We realize while reading this story that we can't hide from our past. We need to realize that we must look backk sometimes and trust our instincts. Ghost is a very imaginable character because his life circumstances could be compared to some of kids living today, desperate and strong. He wants things and by the end finds the true meaning of what it means to run.

I enjoyed this immensely, but agree with other reviewers that this is a middle-grade book. References of domestic violence and drug use make it inappropriate for my K-5 shelves, but a must-have for older kids.

This man came to talk with my students today and was amazing! They could relate to everything! He gave all of my students a copy and unfortunately he ran out of copies to give the teachers! I had to come support him and buy one! If you haven't read any of his books.....start reading now!

Read this with my 9 year old son for an assignment in fourth grade. We both loved and and still talk about even though we finished it a few months ago. It deals with some serious topics, so I was glad we read it together and could talk about it since my son younger. My 12 year old daughter read it on her own and enjoyed it. I can't wait to read more Jason Reynolds book, with or without my kids.

I was drawn to the main character, Castle Cranshaw(a.k.a Ghost-as he wanted to be called) from the first paragraph. I held my breath for him throughout the book. And finally, could exhale at the end when he was ready to breathe.

Coming of age stories, such as Ghost, can seem cliche and super predictable. Though Ghost has some of those cringe moments, but, for the most part, it is an entertaining read which has you totally hooked by the end.

We realize while reading this story that we can't hide from our past. We need to realize that we must look backk sometimes and trust our instincts. Ghost is a very imaginable character because his life circumstances could be compared to some of kids living today, desperate and strong. He wants things and by the end finds the true meaning of what it means to run.

I enjoyed this immensely, but agree with other reviewers that this is a middle-grade book. References of domestic violence and drug use make it inappropriate for my K-5 shelves, but a must-have for older kids.

This man came to talk with my students today and was amazing! They could relate to everything! He gave all of my students a copy and unfortunately he ran out of copies to give the teachers! I had to come support him and buy one! If you haven't read any of his books.....start reading now!