A master in fantasy storytelling, Neil Gaiman has delivered another award-winning book for young adults. And this one comes from beyond that grave. Check out The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
Author: Neil Gaiman
The man named Jack had one job to do—murder a family of four, a simple task for the best Jack-of-all-trades. But after killing all but one of the family members, he found his job a little more difficult than he expected. The baby, an adventurous little toddler, had somehow escaped his crib. He crawled out of the house and to the graveyard. The man named Jack followed the tot, planning to eliminate him in the cemetery. After all, it makes the perfect locale for a murder.
Nobody Owens
But the ghosts in the graveyard refused to hand over the baby. They took him in as their own, planning to raise him right there in the graveyard. They named him Nobody Owens, Bod for short.
Human Among Ghosts
Bod spent his days exploring the graveyard, learning about the past and spiritual matters from many of the ghosts. He rarely met humans, as he never ventured beyond the gates. But one day he met a little girl his age named Scarlett whose company he particularly enjoyed. But eventually she moved, leaving Bod the only human among ghosts once again.
An Unsafe World
As Bod grew up, he wanted to go to school. He wanted to see outside of the graveyard, learning like other kids and exploring the world. But for Nobody Owens, the world wasn’t safe. The man named Jack was still out there on the prowl, hoping to one day finish the job he started.
The Bottom Line
The Graveyard Book won the annual John Newberry Award. The story was a little slow at times. But the ghostly characters were very distinguished and often humorous. This book is great for people who like to read outside the box, as this is a ghost story unlike any other. Also check out Kidzworld’s review of Coraline by Neil Gaiman.
The Graveyard Book Rating:
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