This week my fifth graders are sharing the new covers they designed for the books they read recently. Several of them have agreed to share their covers and reviews with readers of The Logonauts.
(Please note that my fifth graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for fifth graders. More 5th grade reviews are at #iLoveMG.) Or check out #3rdfor3rd for recommendations from when I taught third grade.
Ghost Boys
Recommended by Shira
Ghost Boys is about Black struggles and standing up for rights. It shows the hardships and struggles that Black kids face against the racists. It shows lies and love and friendship when there is none.
The book is about 12-year-old Jerome, being killed for having a weapon. A toy weapon. As a ghost, he meets Emmett Till, a black boy, like him, killed for saying hi to a white woman, and Sarah, the daughter of the policeman who killed Jerome.
This book focuses on the real-world struggles both adults and kids are sadly still facing today. It takes a dark but real and in-depth look at racism and the number of lives being taken just because of the color of their skin.
I like this book a lot because it takes a look at things not many people pay attention to. Yes, it has gory details, but that is what I like. Most books with death have a simple old-age death, they go over the details and why it happened. But this book went in-depth about the reasoning, and the details.
If I were to choose one sentence or paragraph from this book to sum it up, I would use this: “Doesn’t seem fair. Nobody ever paid me any attention. I skated by. Kept my head low. Now I’m famous.” I chose this because it shows the one time people pay attention, it ends up being a bad thing. Jerome was just trying to protect himself, and it cost him his life.
I recommend this book to people who are ready to understand the real world. Not fantasy with peace and friendship, the one with blood and war, with love and hate. The one with understanding and stupidity. This book shows the real world. Ghost Boys is a glimpse at the countless lives that have been taken. Mind you, these lives are mostly Black. Just because of the color of their skin and the way they act, they are suddenly bad people. Is this the world you want to shape? Your turn to tell me.
Click here for all of our #iLoveMG posts. What are your favorite middle grade books?
Click here for all of our #iLoveMG posts. What are your favorite middle grade books?
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