Ghost by Jason Reynolds

“Running. That’s all that Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But never for a track team. Nope, his game has always been ball. But when Ghost impulsively challenges an elite sprinter to a race — and wins — the Olympic medalist track coach sees he has something: crazy natural talent. Thing is, Ghost has something else: a lot of anger, and a past that he is trying to outrun. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed and meld with the team, or will his past finally catch up to him?” – Goodreads

Ghost is a quick read that is perfectly paced, featuring dynamic, real-life conflict that feels fully developed but not over-wrought or childish. Ghost makes bad decisions, but he isn’t a bad kid, an important and complicated nuance. The focus on track and competition will have strong appeal for athletes who enjoy the thrill of winning, losing, and self-imposed expectations. Reynolds sets up this series so well with a good balance of internal and external conflict, teasing you with the interesting lives of these sequel novels that are all equally as compelling and addictive.

Last but not least, this amazing book has been showered with the following distinctions:

Odyssey Award Nominee (2017), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee (2018), Great Lakes Great Books Award for 6-8 (2018), NAIBA Book of the Year for Middle Readers (2017), NCTE Charlotte Huck Award (2017), Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Nominee (2019)

Call # Fiction R333g

Review by Vicki

Fence Vol. 1 by C.S. Pacat; illustrated by Johanna the Mad

“Sixteen-year-old Nicholas Cox is an outsider to the competitive fencing world. Filled with raw talent but lacking proper training, he signs up for a competition that puts him head-to-head with fencing prodigy Seiji Katayama…and on the road to the elite all-boys school Kings Row. A chance at a real team and a place to belong awaits him—if he can make the cut!” – Goodreads

For fans of Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu, this is a suspenseful first installment to the comic series about fencing by best-selling M/M romance author, C.S. Pacat. Beautifully rendered images are characterized by an emotionally affecting mixture of sharp lines contrasted with round, abstract ones. Pacat’s story features maximum drama with family secrets, personality-packed main characters, and an ensemble that is worth getting to know. The only problem here is how short it is; stay tuned as we await the next installments to the library!

Call # GN P113f

Review by Vicki

Check, Please! #Hockey, Vol. 1 by Ngozi Ukazu

Bitty is an exceedingly charming vlogger, former junior figure skating champion, baker, and hockey player; he is also a student at Samwell University. In this graphic novel, Bitty takes us through the highs and lows of being a student athlete on a competitive hockey team as well as his growing attraction to the temperamental but very good-looking captain, Jack.

This book came to be after a very successful Kickstarter campaign for Ngozi Ukazu’s popular webcomic series of the same name. This coming-of-age story perfectly captures the joy of college and friendship with the complications of second-guessing oneself on a consistent basis. The artwork is simple, colorful, and seamlessly flows from page to page. Easily read in on sitting, this is a book you’ll gobble up and want more of as soon as possible!

Call # GN Uk1ch

Review by Vicki