Booktalks Quick and Simple

	Reynolds, Jason. GHOST New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016 Rl 5-8, RL 4.6 ISBN 1481450158 (5 booktalks)
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	Booktalk #1 It seems like Castle Crenshaw has been running for most of his life---mostly from his experiences growing up in a tough neighborhood. He gives himself the nickname “Ghost” after he and his mother manage to run away from the most terrifying experience of all… now his father is in prison—and that’s a good thing. Ghost runs so fast that when a local track coach sees him sprint across the park, he’s determined to sign him up for the team. But maybe Ghost doesn’t want to be part of a team---all of those kids know more about track than he does, and there’s all those rules he’ll need to follow, that just seem to slow him down… There comes a time when you need to stop running away from the life you’ve had, and learn how to run toward a better life. Can Ghost learn this lesson in time? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award nominee, 2018) Booktalk #2 Castle Crenshaw (nicknamed “Ghost”) learned how fast he could run the night his father was arrested. Running is never something he plans to do, just like he never plans to get into altercations at school. Running just happens. Then, one day, Ghost comes across a practice in the park and decides to race one of the sprinters, a decision that leads him to join Coach Brody’s elite track team: the Defenders. Coach Brody takes a chance on Ghost and gives him a future to run toward, but only if Ghost can learn to let go of the things he’s been running from. (Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award, 2018) Booktalk #3 Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that turn explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. (New Hampshire Isinglass Read Award 2017-2018) Booktalk #4 Castle Cranshaw has been running for three years. Ever since his father tried to kill him and his mother. Dad is in prison and his mother is working at the hospital cafeteria to pay the bills. Castle, or Ghost as he prefers to be called, is a pretty good runner. When he watches a track team practice, he decides to show up the cocky kid who thinks no one can beat him. And he smokes him. He wasn't doing it to get on the team but when the coach sees how fast he is, that is just what happens. His mother has said it is fine as long as he doesn't get into trouble at school. Well, that has been happening quite a bit recently. Try as he might, Ghost just can't do it. But as he realizes how much being part of the track team means to him, he is determined to stay. Booktalk#5 Castle Cranshaw, nicknamed Ghost, had to run with his mother away from his father shooting a gun, and he has not stopped running since. Ghost plans to play basketball, but the opportunity to participate as a member of an elite track team is promising. To maintain running for the team he must avoid finding himself in altercations. This poses a challenge for Ghost because he is teased at school and made fun of for where he lives. Ghost does not have special running clothes, shoes or even a water bottle. His Olympic medal winning track coach has more in common with Ghost than he thought. Will Ghost find a place and a role on the track team? Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award 2018-2019
	SUBJECTS: Coaches (Athletics) -- Fiction. Running -- Fiction. Self-realization -- Fiction. Track and field -- Fiction.

Reynolds, Jason.
GHOST
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016
Rl 5-8, RL 4.6
ISBN 1481450158

(5 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews

Booktalk #1

It seems like Castle Crenshaw has been running for most of his life---mostly from his experiences growing up in a tough neighborhood. He gives himself the nickname “Ghost” after he and his mother manage to run away from the most terrifying experience of all… now his father is in prison—and that’s a good thing. Ghost runs so fast that when a local track coach sees him sprint across the park, he’s determined to sign him up for the team. But maybe Ghost doesn’t want to be part of a team---all of those kids know more about track than he does, and there’s all those rules he’ll need to follow, that just seem to slow him down… There comes a time when you need to stop running away from the life you’ve had, and learn how to run toward a better life. Can Ghost learn this lesson in time? (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award nominee, 2018)

Booktalk #2

Castle Crenshaw (nicknamed “Ghost”) learned how fast he could run the night his father was arrested. Running is never something he plans to do, just like he never plans to get into altercations at school. Running just happens. Then, one day, Ghost comes across a practice in the park and decides to race one of the sprinters, a decision that leads him to join Coach Brody’s elite track team: the Defenders. Coach Brody takes a chance on Ghost and gives him a future to run toward, but only if Ghost can learn to let go of the things he’s been running from. (Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award, 2018)

Booktalk #3

Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that turn explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. (New Hampshire Isinglass Read Award 2017-2018)

Booktalk #4

Castle Cranshaw has been running for three years. Ever since his father tried to kill him and his mother. Dad is in prison and his mother is working at the hospital cafeteria to pay the bills. Castle, or Ghost as he prefers to be called, is a pretty good runner. When he watches a track team practice, he decides to show up the cocky kid who thinks no one can beat him. And he smokes him. He wasn't doing it to get on the team but when the coach sees how fast he is, that is just what happens. His mother has said it is fine as long as he doesn't get into trouble at school. Well, that has been happening quite a bit recently. Try as he might, Ghost just can't do it. But as he realizes how much being part of the track team means to him, he is determined to stay.

Booktalk#5

Castle Cranshaw, nicknamed Ghost, had to run with his mother away from his father shooting a gun, and he has not stopped running since. Ghost plans to play basketball, but the opportunity to participate as a member of an elite track team is promising. To maintain running for the team he must avoid finding himself in altercations. This poses a challenge for Ghost because he is teased at school and made fun of for where he lives. Ghost does not have special running clothes, shoes or even a water bottle. His Olympic medal winning track coach has more in common with Ghost than he thought. Will Ghost find a place and a role on the track team? Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award 2018-2019

SUBJECTS:     Coaches (Athletics) -- Fiction.
                        Running -- Fiction.
                        Self-realization -- Fiction.
                        Track and field -- Fiction.