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Author & Illustrators

Jewell Parker Rhodes Books

Ghost Boys (Graphic Novel)

Graphic novel

Ghost Boys, the New York Times bestselling novel about a Black boy killed by a white police officer from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes, is brought to a new audience in this heartbreaking and powerful graphic novel with striking colour artwork by Setor Fiadzigbey.

ALIVE
Twelve-year-old Jerome doesn’t get into trouble. He goes to school. He does his homework. He takes care of his little sister.

Then Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat.

DEAD
As a ghost, watching his family trying to cope with his death, Jerome begins to notice other ghost boys.

Each boy has a story and they all have something in common…

Bit by bit, Jerome begins to understand what really happened – not just to him, but to all of the ghost boys.

A poignant and gripping graphic novel about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today’s world.

Paradise on Fire

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Chapter book

Jewell Parker Rhodes writes characters you really care about, and Addy is no exception. While the backdrop is a dramatic forest fire, the heart of the story is about her overcoming her past trauma and finding her confidence.

The story is intense but very hopeful. The main character has a traumatic backstory involving a house fire that killed her parents. The book deals heavily with her PTSD, flashbacks, and anxiety related to fire.

I’d recommend it for readers who like survival stories like Hatchet, with emotional depth.

Ghost Boys

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Chapter book

This is a gripping story by Jewell Parker Rhodes, dealing with the complexities of racism, prejudice and bullying. Most suitable for children aged 11-15, the book brings to the surface some hard but real-world experiences faced by generations of young people.

This important story is about a 12-year-old boy called Jerome, who is killed by a policeman mistaking his toy gun for a real one. In the narrative, Jerome’s ghost lives on to watch the aftermath of the events – including the pain of his grieving family and the police officer’s hearing. Jerome begins to encounter other ghost boys, and makes a connection with their stories.

Hope is offered in the form of the police officer’s daughter, Sarah, who although alive can still interact with the ghost of Jerome. Sarah seeks empathy and hard truths, and provides a thread of light and hope through the story. Sarah represents a new generation of children looking for change in the status quo when it comes to race and equality, and perhaps young readers today will find inspiration or connection with this character amid a heavy but important storyline.

Highly recommended for KS3 readers!

Black Brother, Black Brother

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Chapter book

Black Brother, Black Brother is a powerful story of a boy’s path to finding his voice against racism and discovering who he is.

The Ellison family have moved to Boston from New York and brothers Donte and Trey are new arrivals at Middlefied Prep, a private school. Trey is immediately popular – however, Donte struggles to fit in. As sons of a biracial family, Donte soon finds out that having a different colour skin from his brother means that he is treated differently. The pupils view him with suspicion and it is not long before Donte is the focus of taunts and jibes of ‘Black Brother’ called his way, fuelled by ‘king’ Alan. After a seemingly trivial incident during which Donte is wrongly accused, events quickly escalate and he is arrested and suspended from school. Wanting others to see him for who he is and tired of feeling invisible, Donte decides to try and beat Alan at his own game: fencing. Donte journeys to inner city Boston – a world away from the rich white suburbs where he currently lives – to enlist the help of a once Olympic fencer. But will he help Donte? Will the children and headmaster at his school ever accept him? Will Donte find out who he is inside?

This is an important story that highlights the discrimination and inequalities that many face due to the colour of their skin, bringing it into sharp focus in a way that is accessible for middle grade children. This is a story demanding to be read and I found it difficult to put down until it had reached its conclusion. I was both shocked and moved by the sheer unjustness of Donte’s situation. This is truly a children’s story for our times. A thought-provoking and important book for ages 11 and above.