What a fine book. Taughtly written, Reynolds is able to describe the perfect storm of conflicting emotions within just about every teen I’ve come across. This is especially true of the kids who have had it rougher than most. With beautiful prose, Reynolds creates real, hard-hitting emotion which doesn’t slow down the character or the story.

Could my fondness for this book be colored by the fact that the author is a Terp (like me)? That is an OUTRAGEOUS claim. How dare you?!? ( )

. Ghost is a children’s novel about how a young black boy deals with his traumatic childhood while making efforts to rise above it. He joins the track team and finds himself struggling to fit in because his past still haunts him. I found this book to be insightful and a necessary read for any child who’s struggling to adjust to a new social setting, especially school. I feel as if the message is empowering in how reminds a child that their past doesn’t have to define them ( )

I don't remember what I heard about this in the Great American Read, but whatever it was, made me put it on my wish list, and indeed I thought both the writing and the narration were excellent. ( )

A book for kids that really felt like it was written for kids, and not just to please adults. It's fun, fast-paced, and diverse. The main character has a realistic reaction to and understanding of his life. I bet some readers will feel motivated to get into running track after this, too! ( )

A good coming of age story. Is Ghost running from his past, or is he choosing to move forward. Depth of character shines here, with glimpses of more stories to be told in the lives of those around Ghost. ( )