Genre 6 Book 1 – Fiction, Fantasy and Young Adult

1. Bibliography
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
ISBN 9780060530921
Illustrated by: Dave McKean

2. Plot Summary
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK began with a man named Jack attempting to murder an entire family. He successfully killed both parents and a little girl; however, an eighteen month old boy escaped death. The little boy crawled out of his crib and wandered into a cemetery. The residents of the cemetery rescued the young child and agreed to keep him safe.

His new parents were a ghost couple, Mr. and Mrs. Owens, who named the young boy Nobody Owens. He was called Bod for short. In addition, a guardian, who was neither alive nor dead, was appointed for Bod – Silas. Gaiman captures the events of Bod’s life as he grows into adult hood. Jack is still out there trying to kill him, and the cemetery residents will do anything to keep him safe.

3. Critical Analysis
The characters of THE GRAVEYARD BOOK consist primarily of ghosts, witches, and spiritual beings. The uniqueness of each character creates an intriguing story. The ghosts’ inhabitants spanned many time periods, and Bod could seek advice or hear stories from them. The Sleer was a three headed monster which guarded some valuables. Silas, Bod’s guardian, walked amongst the living and the dead. A mystery constantly surrounded this character. Gaiman strategically hinted at Silas’ true place in the world throughout the story and revealed it at the end. The ghouls in ghoul land added that disgusting feeling that one gets when thinking about monsters. For example, “…mouths that grinned to reveal sharp, stained teeth; bright beady eyes; clawed fingers that moved and taped.” is how they were described. (76) One of the most interesting characters in the novel was the witch, Liza Hempstock. Although she was technically a witch, Gaiman twisted here traits up and created a character that aided Bod on various occasions. The main character, Bod, was a human boy who was able to interact with the living and the dead

The powerful plot and subplots grab the reader’s attention and make them want more. The interactions between the various characters ensure that the characteristics true to the fantasy Genre exist. Also, the plot contains a balance between good and evil, serious and humorous, safety and danger. As Bod is running around the graveyard interacting with the ghosts or his human friend Scarlett, the storyline feels relaxed. Before the reader has a chance to “relax”, he/she is thrown into the world of ghouls or the man Jack is back.

Readers can really escape from the “real” world while reading THE GRAVEYARD BOOK”. The characters and the setting create a wonderful fantasy world with an intriguing and satisfying storyline.

4. Review Excerpt(s)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “The opening is enthralling: "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife."

5. Connections
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK is an excellent read for middle school students who enjoy fantasy novels. It would be great to use as a quick book talk to a class in order to pique the interest of students.
Other books by Neal Gaiman include CORALINE, and M IS FOR MAGIC.