The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is an honest book. It is that rare book that tells the truth about living in a way that continues to draw you deeper and deeper into the characters and the story till you don’t want to put it down. The book was awarded the prestigeous John Newbery Medal for the most Distinguised Contribution to American Literature for Children and for good reason – it really is an amazing work.

 

The book tells the story of Nobody ‘Bod’ Owens, a boy raised his entire life in a graveyard by it’s ghostly inhabitants. There are Mr. & Mrs. Owens, who never had a child in life and now have the opportunity to raise orphaned Bod. There is Silas, the quiet, stoic guardian who comes only at night and walks the world between the living and the dead. He helps with the acquisition of food and books and other items necessary for survival. There are many others as well.

 

Ultimately The Graveyard Book uses the dead to teach us the value (and sometimes the very real dangers) of life. As one of Bod’s ghostly friends says "Us in the graveyard, we wants you to stay alive. We wants you to surprise us, and disappoint us and impress us and amaze us."

 

I had to read the acknowledgements at the end of the book before I realized that The Graveyard Book is really a modern take on the children’s classic by Rudyard Kipling – The Jungle Book. This is no fault of Gaiman’s but my own thickheadedness for all I needed was a quick glance at Kipling’s title for the similarities to come rushing in.

 

Maybe one of the best compliments I can pay to this book is that I didn’t want it to end. Gaiman is true to his material. The book does not end the way I want it to but it ends the way it must – and still exceptionally satisfying. I hope to see more tales like this.

 

This is a book of adventure and friendship, a book that highlights the values of family, friendship and virtue and ultimately the value of life. I highly recommend it and have no doubt it is bound to be a classic. Best suited to ages 10 and up.