Book Review: The Graveyard Book!

Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Dave McKean
Genre(s): Fantasy, Horror
Age Rank: 9 and up
Publisher:Harper Collins
Publication date:September 30, 2008

Re-read? Sure. Like any children's book, you could read this many times over.
Recommended? Highly. Anyone looking for a fun, fast, and enjoyable read.


My Synopsis:
A boy they call Nobody Owens, Bod for short, is a normal boy like you and me. Well, except for the fact he's raised and taught by ghosts in a Graveyard. When I say taught, I don't just mean the normal things you learn in school like English, History, and Science. Oh, no, there's also fading, dream-walking, and how to put fear into your classmate bullies. Like any young boy there's mischief and trouble to be had, especially in a graveyard-- a secret gateway to long forgotten ghouls, a mysterious grave of the oldest inhabitant that if you enter you may never return. But what awaits Bod on the outside of the Graveyard could be even more dangerous then whats on the inside....

My Thoughts:
The Graveyard Book, a wonderful tale of a boys adventure through life that I found to be absolutely delightful and fun. This is a children's book, but it does have a darker, gritter side, like a ghost story told to children around a campfire. (There is a smaller children's version of the book found here, maybe not so gritty.) But, of course, all books have there villains, and Gaiman does a brilliant job of giving you just enough to give you the shivers. He has a very sound writing style with a dialogue that's perfect for anyone. Engaging world, fun characters, and the tale exceeds at a rapid pace with adventure steady to the very end. To top it all off we're left with an ending like no other! Now I know why The Graveyard Book won a John Newbery Medal, and in the end I was very happy to have read it!

Also, here's a link to Neil Gaiman on The Colbert Report: It's funny and tells a little bit about The Graveyard Book. Enjoy!

(P.S. I've changed my review up a little - I did my own Synopsis this time. All comments welcome!!)