Module 6
Fiction, Fantasy, and Graphic Novels
Award Winning Book
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. III. by Dave McKean. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780060530921
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a fantasy novel that involves ghost and a young living boy. A family of ghost adopted the boy. The chapters are lengthy because they are living their everyday life in the graveyard. The story begins with Jack killing a mother, father, and a young girl. He is on his way to the attic where a toddler sleeps to finish killing everyone in the family. The toddler hears a noise downstairs, so he climbs out of his crib and crawls out of the room and bumps down the stairs. He makes it to the front door and goes off into the night. HE finds his was to the graveyard and is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, two ghosts that never had children, but always wished for a child. Bod is given the protection of the graveyard. His guardian, Silas, explains to Bod that he is safer inside the graveyard and must not ever venture outside to the world of the living because the man, Jack, is still searching for him. He needs to kill Jack to preserve the organization he belongs to. Bod learns how to live with ghost and other weird creatures. The ghosts are his only friends and family. The ghosts give Bod the ability to Fade, Slide, and Dreamwalk. He is given the freedom of the graveyard. He learns to talk and ask many questions. Bod loves to learn all he can. As he grows, he loves the book Silas brings and eventually slipping into the library to read. He learns the alphabet from the tombstones. Bod’s curiosity finally finds him going outside the graveyard to Old Town where he sees many living, breathing people. The experiences on the outside make Bod want to explore more. He makes friends with Scarlett. As the story progresses, Bod goes to school semi invisible where no one will remember him. Silas prepared Bod for the outside world and finally agrees at the age of 15 Bod is ready to meet his future on the outside. Bod is excited and leaves the graveyard.
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. III. by Dave McKean. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780060530921
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a fantasy novel that involves ghost and a young living boy. A family of ghost adopted the boy. The chapters are lengthy because they are living their everyday life in the graveyard. The story begins with Jack killing a mother, father, and a young girl. He is on his way to the attic where a toddler sleeps to finish killing everyone in the family. The toddler hears a noise downstairs, so he climbs out of his crib and crawls out of the room and bumps down the stairs. He makes it to the front door and goes off into the night. HE finds his was to the graveyard and is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, two ghosts that never had children, but always wished for a child. Bod is given the protection of the graveyard. His guardian, Silas, explains to Bod that he is safer inside the graveyard and must not ever venture outside to the world of the living because the man, Jack, is still searching for him. He needs to kill Jack to preserve the organization he belongs to. Bod learns how to live with ghost and other weird creatures. The ghosts are his only friends and family. The ghosts give Bod the ability to Fade, Slide, and Dreamwalk. He is given the freedom of the graveyard. He learns to talk and ask many questions. Bod loves to learn all he can. As he grows, he loves the book Silas brings and eventually slipping into the library to read. He learns the alphabet from the tombstones. Bod’s curiosity finally finds him going outside the graveyard to Old Town where he sees many living, breathing people. The experiences on the outside make Bod want to explore more. He makes friends with Scarlett. As the story progresses, Bod goes to school semi invisible where no one will remember him. Silas prepared Bod for the outside world and finally agrees at the age of 15 Bod is ready to meet his future on the outside. Bod is excited and leaves the graveyard.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Neil has written a collection of short stories, picture books, and award winning novels for young adults. If you are a lover of fantasy then all his books would be worth exploring. This novel is graphic with language that brings the images to life. Listening to some of this one on CD the actors that play the different parts really bring it to life. The voices are very creepy sounding and match the setting of a graveyard and the personalities of the characters. The adventures in this story really get your imagination working with a little bit of dry humor throughout the novel. The black and white drawings of Bod, the characters, and the setting add and element of interest to the novel. Bod is an innocent victim in this story. He is loved by all the ghost and admired by the reader for his attitude, helping others, and ability to cope in an unnatural setting for the living. The author keeps the readers interest not about the ghost and weird creatures, but how a toddler can survive being raised by ghost when he is so dependent on adults for all his needs. After Bod solves the mystery of his family, who he is, with the help of Silas and goes into the world of the living, the reader has to wonder about his future. Is there another story? What happened to Bod in a world that he doesn’t know? This is a book divided into chapters that are rather long, but fast action reading.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT (S)
Newberry Award Winner
From Good Reads: “Neil Gaiman
has a real knack for the imaginative combination of sweet and creepy elements
together with the bittersweet ending, creating a unique and unforgettable story
which appeals both to children and adults.”
From New York Times: ““The
Graveyard Book,” by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman
at the top of his form.”
5. CONNECTIONS
* I think this is for kids at
least 12 and older. It could really
scare younger children, maybe reading a fantasy that is not as deep before this
one.
*If you do love this book you
could also read CORALINE or STARDUST.
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