From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman

Start date: December 21, 2011

Finish date: December 30, 2011

Discussion: Books of the Month

Why we're reading this: You voted and this one won.
[close] You voted and this one won.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 163 topics — 23,363 comments total

Books of the Month

* The Names by Florence Knapp - Sep 25 Adult / Non-Fiction BOM (starts 16 Sep)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 11 posts · 69 views

last updated Sep 05, 2025 04:38PM

* The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - Sep 25 Theme BOM - South and South East Asia (Starts 5 September)
By Moderators of… , Challenger-in-Chief · 31 posts · 66 views

last updated Sep 10, 2025 04:48PM

showing 10 of 217 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jan 02, 2013 Ronyell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1001-children-s-books, my-blog-reviews, neil-gaiman, newbery-medal, world-fantasy-nominee, hugo-award, read-in-2013, young-adult-teen-books

“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.”

That is pretty much the opening sentence to Neil Gaiman’s classic story, “The Graveyard Book,” so you definitely know what kind of book you are getting yourself into! After reading so many of Neil Gaiman’s fantastic books (“Coraline,” the “Sandman” series and “American Gods”), I just had to check out one of his most beloved young adult books, “The Graveyard Book” which also had the honor of winning the Newbery Medal Award! Filled with heartwarming scenes and your average creepy themes, “The Graveyard Book” is certain to be a hit with fans of Neil Gaiman’s works!

The book starts off with the murder of an innocent family, which was caused by a man named Jack (they call him “the man Jack” throughout the book). When the man Jack thought that he killed the whole family, it turns out that the youngest child, who was a baby boy, managed to escape from Jack and ran to the graveyard. Since Jack could not find the child, he decided to give off the chase. When the citizens of the graveyard found out that the young boy’s family was killed, a ghost couple named Mr. and Mrs. Owens, decided to raise the boy themselves and they called him Nobody Owens. After that, the young boy Nobody Owens begin having many adventures in the graveyard including meeting the frightening Sleer and meeting a human girl named Scarlett, while also trying to figure out who murdered his family.

Wow! I was totally blown away by the plot and the imagery in this book! As always, Neil Gaiman had crafted a brilliant story that not only revolves around the mystery of the murder of Nobody Owens’ real family, but also provided a heartwarming story about a young boy trying to discover who he really is and what he really wants out of life. I loved the way that Neil Gaiman made Nobody Owens into a sympathetic character who only wanted to see what life was like outside of the graveyard since he spent his whole life living in a graveyard and I often felt sorry for Nobody as his curiosity about the real world would not let him rest. It was also interesting in the way that Neil Gaiman mixed in the supernatural elements (such as Nobody Owens being able to fade so no one can see him and his ability to talk to the dead) into the story as it made the story extremely creative and creepy to read through! I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect of the story as I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat trying to figure out if the man Jack will ever find Nobody Owens and how Nobody Owens would handle the man Jack if he ever comes across him! Dave McKean’s illustrations are simply gorgeous and creepy at the same time as the characters look a bit abstract, as their bodies are far too lean, but it fit the surreal atmosphere of the story! I also loved the way that Dave McKean shadowed the characters’ facial expressions as it made the characters look extremely dramatic and mysterious in every page they appear in. I also loved the creepy images of the graveyard as they really give off a mysterious and frightening feel to the story (the book is called “The Graveyard Book” after all!)

Even though this book is aimed at a young audience, there are some genuinely creepy moments in this book which includes what Nobody Owens did to two bullies at school and some readers might be a bit frightened at the creepy atmosphere of this book. Also, since there are many scenes of dead people talking to Nobody Owens, some readers would be frightened by the scenes of dead people walking around.

Overall, “The Graveyard Book” is a truly fantastic book for fans of Neil Gaiman’s works and books with ghost, monsters and friendly strange children!

Review is also shown on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

...more

23 likes · Like · see review

Jul 28, 2014 Jules rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library, newbery-winner, children-s-literature, best-books-2014

The 5 star review will shock several people since I give them so infrequently. This book deserved every last star. This is the first Gaiman book I have read, though most of his books are on my never-ending TBR list. I picked The Graveyard Book as my initiation to the work of the well loved author because it one the Newbery Gold Medal in 2009 (I challenged myself to read all the gold medal Newbery winners) and it's a new book in the library. You can't sell the right book to the right child if you The 5 star review will shock several people since I give them so infrequently. This book deserved every last star. This is the first Gaiman book I have read, though most of his books are on my never-ending TBR list. I picked The Graveyard Book as my initiation to the work of the well loved author because it one the Newbery Gold Medal in 2009 (I challenged myself to read all the gold medal Newbery winners) and it's a new book in the library. You can't sell the right book to the right child if you don't know what it's about.

I would encourage the students who love Gothic and macabre in literature to read The Graveyard Book. The story centers around Nobody Owens (Bod, for short), a young boy raised in a graveyard of ghosts after his family is brutally murdered. The action starts immediately with the murder of the family. While it is not gruesome, it is still a murder. The novel begins with the following passage.

The knife had a handle of polished black bone, and a blade finer and sharper than any razor. If it sliced you, you might not even know you had been cut, not immediately.

The knife had done almost everything it was brought to that house to do, and both the blade and the handle were wet.

The street door was still open, just a little, where the knife and the man who held it had slipped in, and wisps of nighttime mist slithered and twined into the house through the open door.

The Gothic writing style of the book nicely compliments the tone and plot of the story. It is a refreshing change to the overdone soundbite writing that has become so popular in children's and young adult literature. (John Green, I'm looking at you, you annoying bespectacled person.)

I almost became emotional as I neared the end of the story. I didn't so much as sting my eyes reading The Fault in Our Stars, so this should tell you something. I fell in love with the characters of The Graveyard Book the way you fall asleep, slowly and then all at once.

See what I mean? Soundbite writing.

If I had one quibble with the book, it's that Gaiman doesn't spend much time describing the antagonists, explaining the reason for the murders, or the motivation of the murderer to hunt Bod for years. The answers come, but they are wrapped neatly across one or two pages. I understand the reason for the murders and the antagonists was simply to get Bod to the cemetery. They mainly served as the catalyst for the story to begin. I understand that, but I felt they deserved more development.

This is one of the best children's books I have read and one I will recommend to the older students. ...more

Like · see review

Feb 24, 2015 Catsalive rated it liked it

Shelves: 2015

A lovely book. I enjoyed Bod's story. I'm a bit disappointed in the ending. After all, although we leave childhood behind as we head into the adult world, we never lose it completely.

Bookring: rated 7/10 at http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/1.... ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 22, 2010 Trisha rated it liked it

10/16 Mother/daughter book club 10am

a book that takes an very light note of a very very tough and (what could be) very violent themes. I thought it handled it well and it made you think. The girls in our book club had lots to talk about!

Like · see review

Mar 03, 2015 Rachel N. rated it really liked it

Nobody Owens, Bod for short, is a toddler when his family is murdered by a man named Jack. Bod manages to escape and end up in a graveyard. Two of the ghosts in the graveyard adopt Bod and Silas, a mysterious figure who isn't alive or dead, becomes his guardian. Gaiman fully imagines the ghosts in the graveyard and Bod's world growing up there. It took me awhile to get into the book but by the end I was entranced and wished the book was longer. ...more

Like · see review