The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman

with illustrations by Dave McKean

 

Neil Gaiman's work has been honored with many awards internationally, including the Newbery and Carnegie Medals. His books and stories have also been honored with 4 Hugos, 2 Nebulas, 1 World Fantasy Award, 6 Locus Awards, 2 British SF Awards, 1 British Fantasy Award, 1 International Horror Guild Award and 2 Mythopoeic Awards. The Graveyard Book was nominated for the Nene Award in 2012 and the Golden Archer Award in 2013.


The Graveyard Book is a Newbery Medal winning novel about a boy named Nobody, nicknamed Bod, who is raised by ghosts in a cemetery after his family is murdered. Bod struggles internally with whether he belongs with the living or the dead, and at the same time searches for the mystery behind his family's death.

Gaiman's fantasy novel contains most of the six basic ingredients or motifs that Vardell explains helps establish the pattern or character of fantasy novels: magic, other worlds, good versus evil, heroism, character archetypes, and fantastic objects (Vardell, pg. 206). Fantasy novels also contain made up words and scientific concepts, which holds true in The Graveyard Book. Bod learns how to Fade, allowing only ghosts to see him, and Dreamwalk, where he can get inside other people's dreams. The child protagonist in fantasy novels usually is "a bit different - extremely bright, often misunderstood, possibly a loner" (Vardell, pg. 206). Bod is misunderstood when he tries to attend a public school and is different from everyone else. A girl from his school tells him "You're weird. You don't have any friends" (Gaiman, pg. 192).

Fantasy novels have plots that "often involve quests or journeys with tasks to accomplish, obstacles to overcome, and villains to vanquish" (Vardell, pg. 219). Bod solves many mysteries during his time at the graveyard, including what ghouls are and where they live, how to talk to the magical Seer, and how to find and get rid of his villain, the man who killed his family.

Professional Reviews for The Graveyard Book:

• Voice of Youth Advocates: "Everyone who reads this book will hope fervently that the very busy author gets around to writing one soon."

• School Library Journal: "Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family."

More about the author.
Other books by the author.

Gaiman, N. The Graveyard Book. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. 

ISBN 978-0-06-053093-8

$8.99 at Barnes & Noble

Work cited: Vardell, Sylvia M. Children's Literature in Action: A Librarian's Guide. Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited, 2008. 

Author photo and bio from neilgaiman.com