Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes is a powerful and moving story that follows Jerome, a young Black boy whose life is tragically cut short. The narrative alternates between his time alive and his journey as a ghost after death, giving readers a haunting yet necessary perspective. Through Jerome’s story, the book shows the harsh realities that many Black people in the U.S. face daily, especially the constant fear of interactions with police and the weight of racial prejudice that has persisted throughout history. It’s both heart-wrenching and eye-opening, making you pause to reflect on the world we live in.

What makes this version especially impactful is that it’s told in graphic novel form. The illustrations pull you right into Jerome’s world, and the visual storytelling makes the book more accessible to a wide range of readers, especially those who connect more easily with images. I love how the format amplifies the emotions of the story; you feel Jerome’s fear, his confusion, and his determination to be heard. It’s the kind of book that lingers long after you’ve finished it, a story that not only sucks you in but also makes you feel and think deeply about justice, empathy, and change.

Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel met all of my expectations and did not disappoint.

Ghost Boys is a powerful story that deftly ties together modern and timely social commentary with distinctive historical events that continue to impact our world today. Ghost Boys is a book that I am continually recommending, especially to middle readers, and Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel will definitely now be added to that recommendation as well. Setor Fiadzigbey's beautiful illustrations bring to life the richness and raw honesty that Jewell Parker Rhodes brings to the issues that need to be faced head on.

With the edition of this gorgeous graphic novel version, more people will be able to access this story that should be read by everyone.

As a school librarian, I have long recommended Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes to my students--even at the high school level. While dealing with difficult and very real topics, it is also engaging and informative. The story follows a 12-year-old boy named Jerome both alive and as a ghost after being shot by a police officer because he had a toy gun. The graphic novel version further enhances the story, creating an additionally engaging visual to go alongside the story. The story loses nothing by being in visual form and, in fact, it makes it even more emotional and compelling. The story clearly jumps back and forth in Jerome's life before and after his death. It follows the people in his life as they work through the aftermath of this violent event, one that, as the story demonstrates, is in a long line of young black boys who have been killed as Jerome meets Emmett Till's ghost. This graphic novel is highly recommended for all school libraries. Thank you to Net galley and the publishers for this ARC.

This is an amazing adaptation of Jewell Parker Rhodes book by the same name. This graphic novel version really brings this story to life! A tragic story of a young black boy who is killed in a public park after a 911 call about a boy playing with a toy gun in the park. This story focuses on the tragic story that is continually repeated over and over in America. This does have a hopeful ending and shows a way for students to get involved and make changes on a small, local level.

This book is powerful. It is about a young boy who is shot by a cop. The story has a back-and-forth timeline of when Jerome, our main character, was shot. It goes between life and death. Looking both backwards and forwards. Ghost boys are the boys left behind to help welcome the dead. To help them transition and to tell the stories that need to be told. to help the people who can make changes, understand what what’s happening. In today’s society, this book is more important than ever. The graphic novel version was just moving as the standard book, but in a format that can be read by a much broader audience. Unfortunately, stories like this still happen every day in the United States. And as Jerome and Emmett Till both say within its pages, this won’t stop until viewing people as stereotypes stop.

I've read this book before in it's original novel format, so I'm familiar with the story, but I should note this graphic novel version did not have the speech bubbles or other boxes completed with text. At least not in the way I downloaded it to read (NetGalley reader).

However knowing the story I like the way the art brings the story to life. I read this with my kids and I think this format would be more engaging for my younger son, he's 11, who is more into graphic novels.

I'm glad this story is being shared in a variety of formats for all readers.

Jerome Rogers lived in Chicago. He lived with his mom and dad, his little sister, and grandma. Jerome had big dreams of being a Basketball player, a Rapper, or maybe even the President—and then it is all cut short. Follow his life and afterlife. The injustice of it all. This one was difficult, but who ever said the truth is easy?

#ThxNetGalley #JewellParkerRhodes #GhostBoysTheGraphicNovel

A beautiful adaptation of a simply amazing book. Fans of the original Ghost Boys will love this and it serves as a meaningful, visceral introduction to the story for those who are new to the tale as well. Simply perfect.

I think that Ghost Boys is one of the most impactful middle-grade books ever written. The graphic novel is able to take all of the impact of the novel and translate it to be even more accessible.

Jerome, a twelve-year-old kid, is killed by a cop for the crime of having a toy gun at a park. His ghost lingers and meets Emmit Till and Sarah, the twelve-year-old daughter of the cop who killed him. Jerome has to process his life and the historical racism that has led to his death. Sarah has to grapple with her father killing a boy her age, her height, and her weight.

This is a heavy topic and I would not recommend it for younger children. There are guns and blood depicted in the illustrations, but it is less graphic than it could be. I would go ages ten and up. I think this should be a part of every graphic novel collection.

Read it with a box of tissues handy. I had to pause and cry it out before I could write this review.

Thank you to Net Galley, Little, Brown Ink, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The graphic novel version of Ghost Boys by @jewellparkerrhodes
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Twelve-year-old Jerome was playing with his toy gun when he was shot by a police officer. As a ghost, he’s able to observe the devastation is death brings to his family and community. When Jerome meets the ghost of Emmett Till, he learns about historical racism and how it led to his own death. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer who killed him, as she struggles with her father’s actions.
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I didn’t think I could feel more from this MG book but I was so wrong. Sometimes it’s not always necessary to turn books into graphic novels, but this is not one of those times. The first panel had me in tears and it really didn’t stop. This was one of those novels that changed me when I read it and I’m thrilled a new generation will feel the same when they read this title releasing Dec 2. Fabulous graphic novel art by @setor_fia

CW: police brutality, murder, racism, grief, child death, injury, gun violence, hate crime, bullying, violence, blood, classism, physical abuse