For a child processing deep grief or facing community challenges, this story offers a poignant look at loss, loyalty, and the courage to speak one's truth.
For a child reeling from loss and feeling silenced by grief or injustice, this book provides a powerful voice. After his father and best friend die in quick succession, Eddie Proffit stops speaking. But his best friend, Billy, sticks around as a ghost narrator, offering sarcastic and loving support. When a book is challenged at school by a powerful church group, Eddie must find the courage to speak up for what's right, even when the adults in his life misunderstand him. For ages 10-14, this story tackles profound grief, censorship, and religious intolerance with wit and heart, modeling how to turn pain into powerful advocacy.
The narrator is a ghost, and his death is discussed. The protagonist's father also dies.
Mature ThemesMild
The antagonists from the church genuinely believe they are doing the right thing, creating a values conflict.
Sad ContentIntense
Deals directly with profound grief, trauma, selective mutism, and unjust institutionalization.
Sensitive Topics
Death and grief are handled directly and are central to the plot. The book opens with the narrator confirming he is dead. Religion is also a central topic; a conservative Christian church is portrayed as the primary antagonist, driving the censorship plot. The book portrays members of a conservative Christian church attempting to ban a book they disagree with, using arguments that some readers may find intolerant or discriminatory. Be prepared to discuss the difference between religious belief and actions that harm others. Mental health is explored through Eddie's trauma-induced selective mutism and his wrongful placement in a mental health facility. The resolution is hopeful, emphasizing the power of finding one's voice.
Ideal Reader
A thoughtful middle schooler (ages 11-14) who is grappling with big concepts like grief, justice, and free speech. It's perfect for a child who feels misunderstood or silenced, or one who gets fired up about unfairness. Kids who appreciate dark humor and a supernatural twist on realistic fiction will connect strongly with this book.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold, but parents should be ready for conversations about death, grief, and censorship. The book portrays members of a church group attempting to ban a book, and their arguments may be perceived as intolerant or discriminatory. Be prepared to discuss the difference between religious belief and actions that harm others, and to address any concerns your child may have about the portrayal of religious people in the book. The scene where Eddie is misunderstood and institutionalized may also be upsetting and worth previewing. A parent has noticed their child has become withdrawn or cynical after a loss, or is asking challenging questions about death, God, or fairness. The child might be showing a new passion for social justice or getting frustrated when they feel adults aren't listening.
Age Experience
A younger reader (10-11) will likely focus on the unique friendship, the ghost narrator, and the core story of standing up to bullies. An older reader (12-14) will more deeply appreciate the sophisticated themes of free speech, the critique of organized religion, and the meta-commentary on book banning (especially with the author's appearance as a character).
What Makes It Special
The use of a dead best friend as a humorous, first-person narrator is highly unique. This perspective allows the book to address profound trauma with an accessible, non-maudlin tone. Its direct, unflinching engagement with the topic of book banning, making it central to the plot, also sets it apart from other books about grief.
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Read plot summary
Narrated by the ghost of 13-year-old Billy Bartholomew, the story follows his best friend, Eddie Proffit. After the sudden deaths of his father and Billy, Eddie develops selective mutism. He remains silent until a beloved teacher's book comes under fire from a local conservative church. Eddie finds his voice to defend the book and the teacher, but his testimony at the church is misinterpreted, leading to his brief, unjust institutionalization. The climax centers on a school board meeting where Eddie, with Billy's ghostly support, speaks out against censorship.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
How does having Billy, a ghost, as the narrator change the story? Would it feel different if Eddie told the story himself?
2
Eddie chooses not to speak for a long time. Why do you think he made that choice? What was it about the book banning that finally gave him his voice back?
3
The members of the Red Brick Church believe the book is dangerous and should be removed. Why do they think that? Do you think adults should be able to ban books from schools? Why or why not?
4
At the church meeting, the adults completely misinterpret what Eddie is trying to say. Why do you think that happens so often between kids and adults in the book?
5
Chris Crutcher, the actual author of the book, appears as a character at the end. What did you think of that choice? How did it affect the story's message about censorship?
