Two years ago, Traci's best friend (and boyfriend) Corky drowned. Now, Traci is interested in the star quarterback, a transfer student named Brad. Just as she and Brad start to hit it off, Traci starts receiving emails from someone (or something) claiming to be Corky. At first, Traci believes that someone is playing a cruel joke on her, but soon enough she finds out that Corky is really back--as a ghost. Traci is desperate to keep this secret from Brad, whom she is convinced will run for the hills when he finds out his new girlfriend thinks she's seeing the ghost of her dead boyfriend. Unfortunately, Corky has no intention of keeping quiet and does everything he can to make his presence known. When Corky's dad returns after walking out on Corky and his mom years before, Corky asks Traci for help in protecting his mom from his dead-beat dad. Can Traci help her ghostly best friend without revealing her secret to Brad and risking losing him? Read A Girl, a Guy, and a Ghost by Sherrie Rose to find out!
Review
This book was a quick, easy read that was a bit to juvenile for my taste but would be a big hit with some of my ninth grade girls or even middle school girls. The book is a ghost story, but there is certainly nothing scary about it: Corky is more of a prankster than a threat. There are some references to some ugly (and false) rumors that another boy spread about Traci, but the author doesn't get into specifics, so this aspect of the novel wouldn't be too much for younger readers. Clearly, I'm breaking the rule I give my students when assigning booktalks--don't label books by gender--but this book is so completely a "chick" book that I can't help it. More mature middle school girls and younger high school girls would enjoy it, and it would be a good choice for even older high school girls who are reluctant readers and need some high interest-low ability level books to get them started. Older high school students will find the story line too tame, and many will probably find Brad a bit too good to be true (I would have to agree). The explanation for Corky's absentee father is a little to far-fetched, too, especially for a generation of readers who are more than familiar with the ins and outs of broken homes. Overall, while the characters in the novel are high school students, the book will probably be of more interest to middle school readers.
References
Rose, S. (2003). A girl, a guy, and a ghost. New York: Smooch.
[Photograph of book cover]. (2009). Retrieved from
http://openlibrary.org/works/OL5805720W/A_girl_a_guy_a_ghost
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