Ghost by Jason Reynolds (208 pgs) tells the story from the view of Castle Cranshaw aka Ghost. He starts off by stating world records and their holders. He walks the readers through his day which is going to the store and he stops at a bus stop to watch people use the stair machines. He talks about how he and his dad likes sunflower seeds and that leads to recounting how his dad told him, “Sunflowers are all up in me” after Ghost asked if a sunflower was going to grow inside him. His dad was an alcoholic and an abuser, so his mom took him and left with his dad shooting at them. They went to Mr.Charles’ store, and he hides them. Eventually, he came to a track field, saw someone running and acting all high and mighty, decided to beat him, and tied. He goes on to steal some shoes because he didn’t want his mom to worry and his coach helps him out. He finds out that Coach Brody also had a bad childhood. Ghost finds some solace in the fact that he wasn’t the only one with mixed emotions about his dad. He bonds with his teammates, by finding out their secrets. Their secrets give Ghost a new perspective on his own life, by looking at theirs. Throughout the book, Ghost makes friends, gains a new perspective, and deals with issues. When it comes to race day, he has his family, Mr.Charles, Coach Brody, and his teammates, all rooting for him. He finds a sense of determination, and he runs his first race.

Ghost’s Dad is not in the book very much but is arguably one of the most important characters. He creates a scenario that makes Ghost run, and that is how he learns he runs very fast. He was an alcoholic and he beat his wife. Jason Reynolds put him into the story to give Ghost some trauma but also show him his greatest strength. He plays an important role in the story by being a villain of sorts.

Ghost’s Mom is another important character. She is the reason Ghost steals the shoes and tries not to get into trouble. She tries her best to get Ghost the things he needs while working a full-time job. Ghost having his mom enables him to feel very sympathetic to Sunny and Patina. She plays an important role in the story by giving Ghost motivation to not get in trouble and to be the very best he can be.

"Trouble is, you can't run away from yourself." Coach snatched the towel from his shoulder, folded it into a perfect square, and set it in the space between us. "Unfortunately," he said, "ain't nobody that fast."This quote shows how Ghost is reflecting on his actions. He knows what he’s doing is wrong, and then he continues doing it. That’s what this quote means. He can’t run away from the things he’s done. He was scared of his dad shooting at him, he is scared of his mom having to work too much to get him things, and he’s scared of himself. Another quote says, “Like, for me, the best way to describe it is, I got a lot of scream inside." An important theme is that No matter your situation, you can succeed if you put enough effort into it. Ghost has to deal with his trauma that’s been locked away for years. Many other characters also have difficult situations they go through.

This is a 5-star book because it includes a variety of characters from different backgrounds, deals with real-world issues, and shows more of a real-life way of dealing with problems. Ghost has school issues, issues at home, and is misunderstood. Teens in similar circumstances may find the courage to reach out when reading Ghost. Ghost reaches out and starts getting the help he needs. But just because Ghost reached out and got help, doesn’t mean his problem was solved. That’s true today. That’s why teens would enjoy reading this because they can relate to Ghost and his friends’ stories.