Ghost by Jason Reynolds is a great book. I raced through it in a single sitting. But I haven’t convinced either of my boys to read it…yet.

They should read it, though. They’d like the narrator and main character, 7th grader Castle Cranshaw (aka Ghost). He’s funny, flawed, observant, and big-hearted. His father is in prison. His mother works long hours in the hospital cafeteria while also studying to be a nurse. Despite his best efforts, he often gets into trouble at school. He loves sunflower seeds and world records. He can tell a compelling tale. And he can run.

They’d also like it because they like sports stories. Even though the sport in question is track (and not baseball), they’d enjoy the descriptions of the practices and the interactions between Ghost and his teammates and coach. Like the best sports stories, this one has its inspirational moments.

At one point, Ghost asks his coach what he hoped track would do for him. His coach replies: “Show you that you can’t run away from who you are, but what you can do is run toward who you want to be.”