Ghost Boys vs. Mason Buttle

I started this round off with the quicker read which was Ghost Boys, it is short, sweet, and I know kids will love it. Having read it at the beginning of this round, I should have blogged right away and now I find myself trying to reminisce about the aspects I loved. I recall the lovely way that the reader follows the protagonist in his before death and after death 'worlds'. Jerome's journey leads the reader to an understanding of what lead to his death and the resulting impact it has on his family and community. I believe this book would be an introductory book to read when discussing racism, racial profiling, and stereotypes, amidst current YA loves like The Hate U Give, this novel reaches a younger reader with a similar message. It really needs to be discussed and not read just for face value. In reading some other reviews, I think it's important to note that this novel is written with the author's bias and perhaps using it in grade 8/9 where we really look at author's purpose, could lead to further/ deeper connections.

As for The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, I'm not sure why it took so long to pick this one up, I had tons of time! It has an incredibly slow beginning and drags on as we learn more about our protagonist and his contribution to the loss of his best friend. I was reminded of a Freak the Mighty comparison with the big kid befriending the little/weaker sidekick and their struggles within the greater social aspects of growing up and not fitting in, which as we all know, isn't really a bad thing. In the end, this one just didn't hold out against Ghost Boys.

~Jan Reimer (Krystal and Rachel)