Skip to main content

The Graveyard Book

 

(Pictures from Goodreads.com)

1.       Bibliography

Gaiman, Neil. 2010. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN978-0-06-053093-8

2.       Plot Summary

In this fantasy pciture novel, Nobody Owens (Bod) is a normal boy. At least, his appearance is normal. What is ABnormal about Bod is that he is being raised by ghosts and his guardian is neither dead nor alive. As Bod grows older, he encounters a series of other unnatural creatures and beasts on his adventures through the graveyard. As he ages, he starts to wonder about the world beyond the graveyard he is not allowed to venture into because of the danger of death. The man who murdered his family is still hunting Bod and will stop at nothing to get to him.

3.       Critical Analysis
“It takes a graveyard to raise a child.”

The novel is aimed at ages 8-11 but could easily be enjoyed by older people wanting to immerse themselves into a fantasy world of ghosts and ghouls. With a vivid murder depiction, the age might be raised for children not ready for the gruesome. The writing is distinctive and descriptive, making the world come alive for reader’s young and old. Although the story takes place in a graveyard, there is still humor and love.

 

Each chapter is a short story with an incident from Nobody “Bod” Owen’s life. This is ideal for reading aloud and for those with a shorter attention span. There are different editions of this book containing illustrations. The illustrations done by Dave McKean depict scenes from the story flowing out into the writing. The black-and-white scenes depict main events and the characters, so the reader has a visual without too much detail, leaving the rest up to the imagination of the reader.

4.       Awards/ Reviews
*Newbery Medal Winner 2009

*Carnegie Medal 2010

*Hugo Award for Best Novel 2009

*Audie Award for Multi-voiced Performance 2015

*Audie Award for Children’s Titles Ages 8-12 2015

*Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book 2009
*Cybils Award for Fantasy & Science Fiction 2008

*SFX Award for Best Novel 2010

*“The Graveyard Book, by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form. In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment.” (New York Times Book Review)

*“Like a bite of dark Halloween chocolate, this novel proves rich, bittersweet and very satisfying.” (Washington Post)

*“Wistful, witty, wise―and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

*“This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming….this is a rich story with broad appeal. ” (Booklist (starred review))

*“Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. …this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished.” (Horn Book (starred review))

5.       Connections

*This book would be good for middle school students that like fantasy, particularly ghost novels.

 

Other books by Neil Gaiman:

*Gaiman, Neil. 2009. CORALINE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL. Ill. By P. Craig Russell. New York, NY. Harper Alley. ISBN 978-0060825454

*Gaiman, Neil. 2013. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE. William Morrow Books. ISBN 978-0062255655

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Snowy Day (Picture Book)

  1.       (Photo: Goodreads.com)   BIBLIOGRAPHY Keats, Ezra. 1962. THE SNOWY DAY. New York, NY: Viking Press. ISBN 978-0-670-01270-1 2.        PLOT SUMMARY A young boy wakes up to discover that snow has fallen during the night. He goes on an adventure by himself to explore the winter wonderland. He finds his own adventures, and watches older children play in a way he cannot yet. He returns home and reflects on the day, hopefully the snow won’t be gone. He tries to keep a snowball in his snowsuit pocket as he gets ready for bed, but is saddened when he finds it already gone! He dreams that the sun came out and melted all the snow. The next day he wakes up delighted to find there is more snow and chooses to find a friend to explore with. 3.        CRITICAL ANALYSIS At first appearance, The Snow Day , appears simple, but the message is complex. When the main character, Peter, is out on...
Post a Comment
Read more

These Violent Delights

  (picture from Goodreads.com) 1.        Bibliography   Gong, Chloe. 2020. THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. New York, NY: Margaret K.. McElderry Books.               ISBN 978-1-5344-5769-0 2.        Plot Summary In a fun play on “Romeo and Juliet,” Gong’s novel takes place in 1926 Shanghai. Keeping the rivalry between two gangs a prominent story line, the book focuses on Juliette Cai, an eighteen-year-old young woman who is heir to the Scarlet Gang and her rival Roma Montagov, the heir to the White Flowers. The blood feud between these two gangs dates back generations, and the rivalry makes anyone involved in illegal trades have to pick sides. When a contagion starts infesting their people, making them claw out their own throats, Roma and Juliette find themselves forced to solve the mystery together. The problem is, they have to put aside their famil...
Post a Comment
Read more

The War That Saved My Life

  (Picture from Goodreads.com) 1.        Bibliography Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. 2015. THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE . Narrated by Jayne Entwistle. [Audiobook]. Follet Audiobook. Solon, OH: Findaway World. ISBN 978-1-101-89062-2   2.        Plot Summary Ten-year-old Ada have never left the apartment she shares with her brother and mother. Her mother, being humiliated by Ada’s club foot, does not allow her to leave, ever. When World War II comes to London, Ada devises a plan to escape with her brother who is being evacuated with the other children. Ada and Jamie end up with Susan Smith, who wants nothing to do with them, ends up taking them in. Ada learns how to ride a pony, makes friends, and starts walking with the help of crutches. Slowly but surely, Susan grows to love the children and they create an unbreakable bond. The question was, when or if will their mother come get them? When their mother finally arr...
Post a Comment
Read more