“‘Who you run for?’ he asked. What? Who did I run for? What kind of question was that? ‘I run for me. Who else?’ I replied.”

Castle Crenshaw has been running his whole life. First, he ran from his dad during a violent outburst. Then, he ran from school bullies who torment him because he’s poor, and the principal who is tired of his inability to stay out of trouble. Now, he’s running for pride when he joins the after-school track team and dubs himself Ghost. Will Castle ever find a way to shake off his past, or will he eventually learn that the only way to move forward is to stop running away and start running toward who you want to be?

Ghost, the first in a three book series, is highly recommended for readers, especially reluctant ones, in grades 4 and up who enjoy sports or stories about school and personal problems.