Book Review - THE GRAVEYARD BOOK - TWU LS 5603 assignment

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gaiman, Neil. 2009.  THE GRAVEYARD BOOK.  Narrated by Neil Gaiman.  Ohio:  Findaway             World.  ISBN 9781436198783

PLOT SUMMARY

Bod Owens is a unique boy raised by ghosts and other supernaturals in a graveyard.  He learns many things: respect (he addresses many spirits in their own diction), boundaries (through trial and error), compassion, tolerance/acceptance of other [beings], and commitment to family and friends.  He is befriended by Scarlett, in the real world.  He also learns about loss; his family has been murdered and he too is being hunted by the murderer, Jack.  His exploits in the graveyard, ether worlds, and outside the graveyard combine to help make him ready to face life in the real world.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I listened to the book on a Playaway.  It is narrated by the author.  His voice is deep, clear, calm, and pleasant to the ear; occasionally it drops too low to hear well when the music is playing.  The music is sprightly, hinting at mystery, but not dark.  The story is easy to listen to and follow.

Gaiman has created a handful of main characters, two of which – Bod and Scarlett - grow and mature during the story.  Other main characters – Jack, Mr/Mrs Owens, Silas, Miss Lupescu – are true to their own characteristics, whether dead or alive.  And then there are the delightful background graveyard/ether characters that help nurture Bod; the ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ proverb.  The story is prolific with characters as there are at least a dozen more ‘real’ people that Bod encounters during his worldly episodes.

The plot – murder, the main setting – graveyard, and the theme – good vs. evil, are so intertwined as to be believable.  Yes, an 18-month old can disappear quickly. Yes, a bunch of ghosts, with nothing but time on their hands, could become infatuated with a baby and decide to raise it.  Yes, evil exists and wins occasionally, but the good guys keep trying to stop them.

Gaiman’s  style is entertaining intrigue.  Bod reminds me of Dennis the Menace; what trouble is he going to get into next?  And like Dennis, his charm and wit, along with his ‘family and friends’, aid him through all his adventures.  In his last graveyard quest, Bod loses two dear friends; but even this loss teaches Bod important lessons for his future.

AWARDS

Book2009 Newbery Medal
2010 Carnegie Medal
2009 Hugo Award
2009 Locus Award
ALA Notable Children's Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Booklist Editors' Choice
Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book
Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (Vermont)
Horn Book Fanfare
Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book
New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age
Time Magazine Top Ten Fiction

AudioAudiobook of the YearAlaska - Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award 2011: Grades 7-9 - Audiovisual List
Arizona - Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees 2011: Tween Books - Audiovisual List
Arkansas - Arkansas Teen Book Award Nominees 2010: Grades 7-9 - Audiovisual List
Arkansas - Arkansas Teen Book Award Winners 2010: Grades 7-9
Delaware - Diamonds Book Award Nominees 2009-2010: High School - Audiovisual List
Hawaii - Hawaii Nene Award Reading List Nominees 2012 - Audiovisual List
Idaho - Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award 2011: Grades 7-9 - Audiovisual List
Literary Prizes - School Library Journal starred
Montana - Pacific Northwest Iowa - Iowa High School Battle of the Books List 2010-2011 -        Audiovisual     List
Young Reader's Choice Award 2011: Grades 7-9 - Audiovisual List
New Jersey - New Jersey Garden State Teen Book Award Nominees 2011: Fiction Gr.6-8 -          Audiovisual List
Oklahoma - Oklahoma Sequoyah Intermediate Book Award Nominees - 2011 - Audisvisual List
Oregon - Oregon Readers Choice Book Award Nominees 2011: Intermediate Division -   Audiovisual List
Oregon - Young Reader's Choice Award 2011: Grades 7-9 - Audiovisual List
Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominees 2011-2012: Grades 6-8 - Audiovisual List
Washington - Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award 2011: Grades 7-9 - Audiovisual List
Washington - Washington Evergreen Young Adult Book Award Nominees 2011 - Audiovisual    List

Wisconsin - Golden Archer Award Nominees 2009-2010: Middle School/Junior High -     Audiovisual List

Wisconsin - Wisconsin Battle of the Books 2009-2010: Middle Div. Gr.6-8 - Audiovisual List

Wisconsin - Wisconsin Battle of the Books 2009-2010: Senior Division - Audiovisual List

REVIEWS (for the book)

KLIATT (Starred Review):  “Gaiman has a true gift for narrative and a delightfully light touch, and there are humorous details along with spine-chilling ones. YAs will race through this fine tale and enjoy every magical, creepy moment.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS (Starred Review):  “Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.”

VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES (VOYA) (Starred Review):  “Gaiman writes with charm and humor, and again he has a real winner.”

BOOKLIST (Starred Review):  “an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming…this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages. ” 

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW:  “by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form…The story’s language and humor are sophisticated, but Gaiman respects his readers and trusts them to understand…follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable ­enchantment. “

THE GUARDIAN:  “narratives tend toward the episodic…Every page is crowded with invention, both funny and scary”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting…Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family”

REVIEWS (for the audio)

AUDIO FILE MAGAZINE: “Neil Gaiman is one of the true gems in the audio industry… gives each specter a different—and wholly appropriate—voice, but he doesn't stop there. He even goes so far as to change a character's accent ever so slightly after she comes back from years and years abroad… performs a shift of character voice that is an absolute showstopper when he reveals the villain”

HTTP://WWW.GREENMANREVIEW.COM/BOOK/BOOK_GAIMAN_GRAVEYARDBOOK_AUDIO.HTML:  “is the audio version going to bring anything extra to the story… he conveys the range of characters and their emotions through subtle tones and inflections… Gaiman's silver-and-shadow reading style is equally suited to both older and younger readers… only made creepier by Gaiman's dry and understated delivery, as if he were channeling Alfred Hitchcock telling a bedtime story… it features a brilliant version of "The Danse Macabre" performed by Béla Fleck on the banjo”

THE INDEPENDENT:  “Neil Gaiman's slightly spooky voice is perfect for reading his slightly spooky story”

CONNECTIONS

Books to read

Gaiman, Neil.  NEVERWHERE: A NOVEL.  ISBN:  978-0060557812
Kadohata, Cynthia.  KIRA-KIRA.  ISBN  978-0689856402
Perkins, Lynne Rae.  CRISS CROSS.  ISBN  978-0060092740
Stead, Rebecca.  WHEN YOU REACH ME.  ISBN  978-0375850868
Vanderpool, Clare.  MOON OVER MANIFEST.  ISBN  978-0385738835

Lessons

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Search/graveyard+book/All/All/All/All
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/harpercollins/graveyard-book_rg.pdf