BIBLIOGRAPHY
Giaman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780060530938
PLOT SUMMARY
On a dark night, “the man Jack”, enters a house and kills a family only to discover that the baby is gone. The sole survivor of the attack--an 18-month-old boy--escapes his crib and his house, and toddles to a nearby graveyard. There he is taken in, named, and cared for by a ghostly community. The boy Nobody, or ‘Bod’ as he is known, is given the freedom of the graveyard and taught important ghosting skills such as how to fade, haunt and visit people’s dreams. He has adventures with a friend who appears and also gets captured by ghouls.Whenever the boy strays from his usual play among the headstones, he finds new dangers, learns his limitations and strengths, and acquires the skills he needs to survive within the confines of the graveyard and in wider world beyond.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman has created a charming allegory of childhood. Although the book opens with a scary scene--a family is stabbed to death --the story quickly moves into more child-friendly storytelling. It is a fun, fast-paced action-adventure story with a terrifying villain and a gentle, serious young hero. The plot follows Bod's progress, as he changes from baby to teen, learning life’s lessons from the graveyard inhabitants. His quest to find out who he truly is brings readers along on a well-paced journey that is both exciting and dangerous.
The fantastic elements of the plot are so convincing because Gaiman describes his characters the way Bod sees them: as normal, everyday people who happen to be ghosts, ghouls, werewolves and vampires. Even though he has grown up among aged ghosts and crumbling graves, Bod is a very believable character who portrays many of the same traits as children everywhere. The reader develops an attachment to Bod and wants to see him succeed.
Gaiman is an excellent storyteller, carefully balancing the intrigue of a triple murder with the fresh innocence of a child like any other, learning about the world with wide eyes and a million questions. He has found the perfect voice for this sinister story, intelligently handling the complex issues without losing sight of his inventive narrative. True to his writing style, he customizes the details of the setting, making them an integral part of the story and uses vivid description that allows the readers to fully immerse themselves in the fantasy world that he creates.
The timeless themes of good and evil and growing up are present throughout the book; and, while they are not presented in the traditional manner, they are still quite relevant and applicable to readers of all ages and interests.
AWARDS
ALA Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers Category: 2009
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Older Readers Category: 2008
Carnegie Medal
Hugo Awards: Best Novel
Indies' Choice Book Awards: Young Adult Fiction
Kentucky Bluegrass Award: Grades 6-8
Locus Young Adult Book Award
Newbery Medal
Oprah's Kids' Reading Lists - New Releases: 10-to-12 Years
USBBY Outstanding International Books - Grades 6-8: 2009
Wisconsin Library Association Children's Book Awards: Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2009
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist 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. “
School Library Journal: “Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Wistful, witty, wise….”
CONNECTIONS
Gaiman cites his inspiration for The Graveyard Book from Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Read it with students and discuss some obvious parallels between Bod’s story and The Jungle Book.
*Introduce to students to other read-alike books, starting with A Series from Unfortunate Events.
Snicket, Lemony. The bad beginning. ISBN: 9780807261781
* Read more spooky stories:
Almond, David. Skellig. ISBN: 9780385326537
Schwartz, Alvin. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark : Collected from Folklore ISBN: 9780060835194
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