Genre 6 - Fantasy - Graveyard

Graveyard
Written and narrated by Neil Gaimen
Prince Frederick, MD : Recorded Books, 2008.
ISBN: 9781436158848


This novel is about a toddler left homeless by the murderers, one in particular by the name of Jack, whom stabs his parents to death. As the murderers are in his parent’s room the toddler get out of his crib and crawls down the stair out the front door that was left ajar and out to the graveyard, where the Mr. and Mrs. Owens, the graveyard carekeeper, find the boy. Not knowing where he came from, or who his parents were they give him the name of Nobody, Bod for short. It is here in the graveyard that Bod grows up and is taught by ghostly intellectuals of their times. His main guardian is the nocturnal Silas, who solicits the help of other ghost to help teach Bod lifes’ lessons when he is not around. He is given several special powers as he is given card blanc of the graveyard. As he growth into his teen years, curiosity begins to stir his mind and wonders what lies beyond the gates of the graveyard. Though warned by Silas and other ghostly guardians he escapades begin. With the Jack still at large and looking for the lad, escapades begin and Bod learns valuable lessons that were taught to him by his ghostly friends.

Analysis

As you listen to the audio book, Gaiman uses different voices to differentiate between the characters in the book through subtle tones and inflections.. As he reads he is able to draw you into the story, like a good storyteller, like an Alfred Hitchcock introduction to his T.V. show. Gaiman has a good voice, paces himself well, and has very good diction. He knows just where to put the emphasis.
There is clear engagement with the characters as he vividly describes the ghostly guardians and the graveyard. Silas bringing in books for Bod to read, like The Cat in the Hat, paper and crayons, so as to teach Bod the letters of the alphabet. “Silas gives Bod the quest to find each of the twenty six letters in the graveyard-..”.
Later the life’s lessons of good and evil, Bod’s opportunity to fall in love and to fight for the righteous.
Listening to the audiobook helps with the listening to the brilliant version of "The Danse Macabre" performed by Bela Fleck on the banjo as the story tells of the dance of the Macabray, (dance of the dead).
With the background music, you have the sense of feeling the story. Reading audiobooks can be a good way to spend the time on your commute.

Reviews

Unlike many readers, who give a dramatic performance rather than a reading, Gaiman's voice never changes overmuch, yet he conveys the range of characters and their emotions -- the obstinate but ritualistic call-and-response of a children's quarrel, the wry tones of a teenaged ghost-witch, the cold menace of a monster wearing a human face -- through subtle tones and inflections. It's like the audio equivalent of one of those old black-and-white horror movies, where the subtle play of light and shadow conveys as much of the atmosphere as the story itself. Whether you are getting this audiobook for a young person you know or for yourself, Gaiman's silver-and-shadow reading style is equally suited to both older and younger readers. The fact that the first chapter of The Graveyard Book plays out like an understated slasher film is only made creepier by Gaiman's dry and understated delivery, as if he were channeling Alfred Hitchcock telling a bedtime story. The second chapter of the story, in contrast, provides a break in the tension by providing an almost Dickensien story in which the ghostly inhabitants decide to adopt the foundling and name him Nobody, while Chapter Three, titled "The Hounds of God," is possibly even creepier than the first chapter.

http://greenmanreview.com/book/book_gaiman_graveyardbook_audio.html


Gaiman is a great reader. It's not just his cool accent, it's the way he gives his characters distinct voices ("he do the book in different voices") and knows just where to put the emphasis and the darkness...it's all good. I've also recommended, wherever possible, catching him doing a live reading--because those are fantastic.

Needcoffe.com

The story is about Nobody Owens, a young boy who starts the novel as a toddler that ends up in a graveyard late at night, all by himself. I’ll let Gaiman tell you how that happens, because the journey is all the fun here. Nobody Owens grows up, and Gaiman’s ghosts do all the parenting.
Gaiman also narrates, and like I’ve said elsewhere, he’s one of the few authors I’ve heard that could make a comfortable living as an audiobook narrator. I can’t imagine this audiobook being read by someone else, and I’m very happy that it isn’t.

www.sffaudio.com

Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Publisher


The Graveyard Book, 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…In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment.
The New York Times - Monica Edinger


Wistful, witty, wise-and creepy. Gaiman's riff on Kipling's Mowgli stories never falters, from the truly spine-tingling opening, in which a toddler accidentally escapes his family's murderer, to the melancholy, life-affirming ending. Bod (short for Nobody) finds solace and safety with the inhabitants of the local graveyard, who grant him some of the privileges and powers of the dead-he can Fade and Dreamwalk, for instance, but still needs to eat and breathe. Episodic chapters tell miniature gems of stories (one has been nominated for a Locus Award) tracing Bod's growth from a spoiled boy who runs away with the ghouls to a young man for whom the metaphor of setting out into the world becomes achingly real. Childhood fears take solid shape in the nursery-rhyme-inspired villains, while heroism is its own, often bitter, reward. Closer in tone to American Gods than to Coraline, but permeated with Bod's innocence, this needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.

Kirkus


Connection

Have student do the following activities.

- Gravestone Rubbing

- Epitaph Poems – define epitaph – have a discussion.

- Book Trailer- The short previews of coming attractions (known as trailers in the
movie industry) are a great way to entice an audience. Design a trailer
for The Graveyard Book and be as creative as possible. Think about
incorporating a script, costumes, props, sound effects, software
applications (such as PowerPoint), and a video camera.

Monster Trivia - Research some of the monsters featured in the book, such as
werewolves, witches, vampires, ghosts, and ghouls, and write trivia
questions about them. Some questions should be based on this particular
book, while others may draw from popular culture in general.

Supernatural Powers. Bod has several supernatural powers: the Slide, the Fade, and
the Dreamwalk. Invent a fourth supernatural power for Bod, draw a picture
of him, and label his four special abilities with captions.