Ghost

While there is nothing wrong with sports books, they are just not my proverbial cup of tea, and while sports are definitely an important part of the narrative, to call Ghost a sports book would be disingenuous. Reynolds manages to capture that feeling of being a kid so well that, even if you don't relate to his particular set of circumstances, you will immensely relate to him. And that's important, because while our circumstances and experiences may shape us, it is ultimately up to us how we define ourselves. As Coach so wisely and succinctly says:

“You can't run away from who you are, but what you can do is run toward who you want to be.”

And on that note, I love the ending: Does Ghost win? That's not important. What's important are the steps he made to get to where he is; he is, both literally and figuratively, running toward the person he wants to become.

Just give all the awards to Jason Reynolds, please. Not just the bookish ones. Give him an Oscar or two while you're at it, just for good measure. 4/5