The Best Books For Kids in 2018, as Voted by Actual Kids and Parents Who Read Them

What it's about: "Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father's actions."

Ages it's aimed at: 9-12 years

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes ($8, originally $17)