# Ghost Boys

**Author:** Jewell Parker Rhodes
**Lexile:** 360L
**Grade range:** Grades 4–7
**Age range:** 10–13
**First published:** 2018
**Page count:** 224
**Genre:** Realistic Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780316262286`
**ISBN-10:** `0316262285`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/ghost-boys
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot and killed by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real one. As a ghost, Jerome meets the spirits of other Black boys lost to violence — and the officer's daughter, the only living person who can see him. Jewell Parker Rhodes's spare, powerful novel is widely assigned in grades 4-7 for units on justice and empathy.

## Themes

- race
- justice
- family
- identity

## Content notes

- gun violence
- racism
- death

## Where this book is assigned

### Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association)

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)

### Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)

### Nebraska Golden Sower Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Nebraska — [source: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)](https://nebraskalibraries.org/GoldenSower)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Nebraska — [source: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)](https://nebraskalibraries.org/GoldenSower)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Nebraska — [source: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)](https://nebraskalibraries.org/GoldenSower)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Nebraska — [source: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)](https://nebraskalibraries.org/GoldenSower)

### Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)

### William Allen White Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)

### William Allen White Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2021](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Allen_White_Children%27s_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2021](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Allen_White_Children%27s_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2021](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Allen_White_Children%27s_Book_Award)

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