Cover of Ghost Boys

Ghost Boys

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 360L. It appears across 5 curriculum references and 5 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Ghost Boys is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Lexile
360L
Grade range
Grades 4–7
Difficulty for grade
Below the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
Age range
Ages 10–13
Pages
224
Reading time
about 4h 5m (est.)
First published
2018
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780316262286

Reading difficulty: At 360L, Ghost Boys reads below the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.

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About this book

Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot and killed by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real one. As a ghost, Jerome meets the spirits of other Black boys lost to violence — and the officer's daughter, the only living person who can see him. Jewell Parker Rhodes's spare, powerful novel is widely assigned in grades 4-7 for units on justice and empathy.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, reads at early-reader complexity, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on race and justice; cited across 5 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

race · justice · family · identity

Content notes

gun violence · racism · death

Where this book is assigned

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Ghost Boys→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Ghost Boys?
Ghost Boys is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 360L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What is the Lexile level of Ghost Boys?
Ghost Boys has a Lexile measure of 360L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
How long does it take to read Ghost Boys?
It takes about 4h 5m to read Ghost Boys (224 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 245 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is Ghost Boys hard to read for 4th grade?
At 360L, Ghost Boys reads below the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign Ghost Boys?
Ghost Boys appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, Nebraska Golden Sower Award, and 2 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Why this book is on this list

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
360L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 5 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 5 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.