Ghost boys

The novel draws inspiration from the real-world issue of police brutality and racial injustice, particularly the deaths of Black children and teenagers. While the main character Jerome is fictional, the book incorporates the historical figure of Emmett Till, whose real-life murder in 1955 was a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.

Ghost Boys received the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature, which recognizes diverse authors and books that address diversity in children's literature. It also earned a place on the National Book Award longlist for Young People's Literature.

While Ghost Boys is a standalone novel, it shares Jewell Parker Rhodes' characteristic focus on social justice themes and empowering young protagonists. Her other works often explore historical events and contemporary issues through the eyes of children, much like she does with Jerome's story.