Ghost

By Jason Reynolds

What is it about?

Castle, known as Ghost, has speed but brings a difficult past to a track team. Jason Reynolds starts the Track series with a runner learning that talent and belonging are different challenges.

Who might enjoy it?

For a teen who prefers a direct voice and a clear immediate goal to a large fantasy world. Discuss a decision before judging its result: what options did Ghost believe he had?

Things to consider

Domestic violence involving a gun, trauma and bullying. The publisher lists ages 10 and up; the teen grouping here reflects the themes, not a minimum reading ability.

A question to take into your reading

What makes someone a teammate beyond wearing the same kit?

Premise and publication context: Publisher: Ghost. Reading-fit suggestions and discussion questions are MWC editorial guidance.

Keep exploring

• Great books for teens aged 13–15

  Five books for teens aged 13–15, spanning sport, friendship, history and imagined worlds. Compare themes, reading demands and content considerations.

• The Outsiders

  Choose this for a compact story with plenty to argue about. It works especially well when a reading group wants to discuss loyalty and social class.

• How many words are in a book?

  Multiply the number of pages by an estimated average of words per page. At Million Word Club's transparent default of 250 words per page, a 200-page book is estimated at 50,000 words.

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