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Jan 24 2009

The Graveyard Book

Published by Carrie at 7:18 pm under Books, Reviews Edit This

graveyard.jpg

I started reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman aloud to my kids in December. We loved it, but due to our homeschooling break and stomach flu, plus the holidays, we took a big break in the middle. We picked right up where we left off, though, and finished it on Thursday.

If you’ve read any of Neil Gaiman’s work, then you know the man is brilliant. His work is so varied and crosses the genres, from picture books (Wolves in the Walls) and children’s novels (Coraline), to graphic novels (1602) and adult fantasy (Anansi Boys and Neverwhere). I’ve read all of the books I mentioned, and found each one completely unique and utterly enjoyable. I also listened to the audibook of Fragile Things, a collection of short stories and poetry, read by Gaiman. He is a brilliant narrator, and I loved some of the stories, enjoyed others, and was disturbed by a few.

Coraline was one of our favorite read-alouds of 2008, and when The Graveyard Book came out, I was excited to share it with my kids. After reading the first few paragraphs, I was worried that it might be too scary for them, but once we got a few pages in, the shivers subsided to an enjoyable level, and they loved the rest of the book.

The Graveyard Book is Gaiman’s re-imagining of The Jungle Book. In the place of Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves, there is Nobody Owens, the boy raised by ghosts. Nobody, or Bod for short, has the freedom of the graveyard, which gives him some supernatural abilities. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Owens, are ghosts. His guardian, Silas, is something else. Silas is able to leave the graveyard, and so takes on the responsibility of Bod’s human needs, such as food and education.

Each chapter works as a separate story, a separate adventure in Bod’s life. He learns what family is, what friendship is, and how to be a person. And throughout the book is the underlying danger of the man Jack, the one who killed Bod’s family, and wants to kill him as well.

The kids remained enthralled throughout this entire book. This isn’t unusual for my oldest two, Natalie (12) and Noah (10), but for a book to keep Jonathan, who is 9 and my squirrelly one, and Josiah, my youngest at 7, quiet and still while I read each morning for 45 minutes, it has to be excellent. It also has to fit all the criteria for a boy book: adventure, danger, friendship, honor, and bravery. The Graveyard Book perfectly filled those requirements - and more.

We are waiting impatiently for Mr. Gaiman’s next novel for young people - and I am more determined than ever to read the rest of his work for grown-ups.

5 out of 5 stars

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    I adore Gaiman. Neverwhere was the first novel I read by him and it remains one of my favorite books of all time. I lost my copy of Coraline during my move, but I plan to see the movie and I don’t even have kids. =)

  2. kimon 16 Jul 2009 at 2:02 am edit this

    the graveyard book was the first book i read from Neil Gaiman i am still reading but almost finished. think it is the most wonderfull book i have read since!!!

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