The Graveyard Book tells the story of Nobody Owens, whose family was murdered when he was an infant. Not a baby satisfied to be contained to a crib, young Bod crawled to the local graveyard at the time of the murders. He is then adopted by the ghosts of the graveyard. His primary caretaker is Silas, a mysterious figure who doesn't like the daytime. Bod is given the Freedom of the Graveyard, so he can walk through walls, and see in the dark crypts. However, if he leaves the graveyard, there is constantly the threat of being found by the man who murdered his family. Each chapter is basically a short story. Years pass between the chapters, so the reader gets to see Bod grow up and want more freedom. Bod has adventures with Werewolves, Goblins, and other Ghouls. My favorite part was the chapter when Bod finally gets to go to the real world to go to school. I love how he deals with the school bullies.
I really enjoyed this book. I have enjoyed the other Neil Gaiman novels I have read: Coraline, Stardust, Neverwhere, & Good Omens. This is similar in tone to Coraline - very dark for a children's story. I especially love the first line, "There was a hand in the darkness and it held a knife." I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, but it may be too intense for very young readers.
