The Graveyard Book

Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Published: Oct 2008
ISBN: 9780060530921
Other books in the series: N/A
Characters: Nobody Owens, the man Jack, Silas, Mrs. Owens
Awards: Newbery Award
Genre: fiction, fantasy
Reading Level: 5th grade
Interest Level: 5th-9th grade
Summary: Nobody or Bod Owens was just a baby when his whole family was killed by the mysterious the man Jack. Bod had wandered out of his crib and somehow wandered into the nearby graveyard. The ghosts wanting to protect little Bod took him under the protection of the graveyard to prevent the man Jack from finishing his deadly task. Bod is adopted by ghosts and then taught and cared for by the mysterious Silas, Bod's guardian. Things are quite strange when your home is graveyard. Bod has many adventures both in and outside of the graveyard but he also has the threat of the man Jack finding him and finishing his job. But can a living boy really live his life inside a graveyard?
Review: This is another wonderfully dark, imaginative story by Gaiman. Yes, the book is a bit creepy since it takes place in a graveyard but the ghosts are humorous and fun. Silas is a mystery that when you finally figure out he's a vampire it's a fun surprise. The story introduces the reader to all sorts of creature of the underworld like hellhounds, ghosts and vampires. The story shows how family is about love and togetherness, even if your family is ghosts.
Reader's Annotation: In the middle of the night a man named Jack killed Nobody Owen's family. Now Nobody is being raised by a graveyard.
Main themes: family, cemeteries, ghosts,
Read alikes: Liesel & Po by Lauren Oliver
Why for tweens? Tweens will love this creepy ghost story with a new spin. Bod get's into lots of adventures that at times are a bit scary but their isn't anything in the story that is too terrifying for tweens. It's is full of great characters that tweens will love like vampires, ghosts, and werewolves.