The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, Neil. (2008). The graveyard book. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Nobody (Bod) Owens is trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead in this fantasy novel.  When he was but a toddler, a man known only as Jack, murdered Bod's parents and 7  year old sister. Miraculously Bod was able to escape out the front door and winded up in a nearby graveyard, where he was taken in by a loving, older, and deceased, couple who decided to raise him as their own, along with the help of a guardian who is neither living nor dead and known as Silas.  As Bod grows up, he is granted the Freedom of the Graveyard and learns all the ways of the dead, even mastering a few himself.  However he also becomes curious about life outside of the gates, which the graveyard's occupants are determined to protect him from.  When he discovers that his family's killer is still out there and has been searching for him all these years, he sets out to find out why and end it once and for all.

Evaluation Criteria: Characters and Setting

Two of the elements that are key contributors to this story are the setting and characters.  When a young child’s family is murdered, he manages to escape and ends up wandering through a graveyard, and that is where the majority of this story takes place.  A deceased couple, The Owens, who were never blessed with a child in life, agree to keep the boy, whom they name Nobody (Bod), and raise him as their own.  In this dark and dilapidated graveyard where Bod grows up, there is quite the array of characters, each with their own history and experiences to share, yet no longer a part of the land of the living.  Some of the people died in old age and have a wealth of information spanning centuries and stories of adventure to share.  Others died young and although Bod initially enjoys spending time with and playing with the children, he finds as he matures and they remain the same age, they no longer have as much in common and seem to grow apart.  One thing that all of these people do have in common, other than no longer being alive, is their dedication to Bod and their devotion to keeping him safe.

Video Tour by Neil Gaiman

Includes Chapter Readings and Q&A

Book Trailer for The Graveyard Book