1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave McKean. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0061972657
2. PLOT SUMMARY
One night, a man that goes by the name Jack, sneaks into the home of a family of four with the intent to kill each and every one of them in order to protect the order of the Jacks of All Trades that has been around for centuries. He kills everyone except for the toddler. According to a vision years ago, a boy born from a certain family will grow to adulthood and bring down the Order unless he is killed. The toddler escapes the house and wanders up a hill to a nearby graveyard. The man Jack is right behind him. The ghost of the toddler’s mother asks one of the graveyard ghosts to protect her child and disappears. The graveyard ghosts agree to raise and protect the child. Silas, neither alive nor dead, agrees to be the child’s guardian until he is an adult and ushers the man Jack out of the graveyard and denies that any child had been there. The man Jack leaves, but is determined to find the boy and kill him no matter how long it takes. As Silas and the ghosts of the graveyard raise and protect the child, they teach the boy many different things that will help him in the future. The boy is named Nobody Owens and goes by Bod. He has many different adventures in the graveyard. As long as he is in the graveyard, he will be protected. As the story progresses, it is revealed that Silas is a member of the Honour Guards and goes to the extremes to protect Bod. When Bod is eventually found by man Jack, he uses the lessons taught to him by Silas and the ghosts of the graveyard to resolve the situation. At this time, the boy has grown into a man and leaves the graveyard to live his life.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Gaiman’s writing is exciting and witty. It captures the reader’s attention from the very first page maintains it throughout the book. There is suspense, mystery, and some aspects of the story are scary. Even though there are ghosts, sleers, and other creepy fantasy creatures, the underlying messages relate to everyday life. For instance, his guardian told Bod to never leave the graveyard and bring attention to him because the man Jack was out there looking for him. The little boy chose to leave the graveyard to sell a stone in order to buy a headstone for a ghost’s grave that did not have a headstone. Of course he got in a bad situation, and needed help. The message is to listen to your guardians because they want to protect you. This is an excellent book for students that love science fiction.
Dave McKean’s illustrations serve the text very well. The drawings are done in black and white and depict the creepy scenes. The man Jack is a tall and dark figure. He is always drawn at angles that avoid showing his face. The boy is drawn throughout the book, evolving into a confident young man.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
NEW YORK TIMES review: “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.”
WASHINGTON POST review: “Like a bit of dark Halloween chocolate, this novel proves rich, bittersweet, and very satisfying.”
Starred review in KIRKUS: “Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Encourage students to write their own science fiction book. Be open to their ideas and foster their interest in writing. At the end of the task, praise students and have them share what they have written with other students in the school.
*Other books by Neil Gaiman:
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. CORALINE. ISBN 0061972630
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. M IS FOR MAGIC. ISBN 0061972673
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS. ISBN 0061964875
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. STARDUST. ISBN 0061793078
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