The Graveyard Book

 

Gaiman, N.  (2008).  The Graveyard Book.  New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

This book won the John Newbery Medal for the year 2008.

Nobody "Bod" Owens survived an attack on his family that left only him alive.  He walked to a graveyard where his parents convinced a couple of ghosts to care for him.  He could only be protected if he stayed in the graveyard under the protection of the inhabitants there.  He would not be safe in the outside world where Jack, the killer of his parents and sister, could find him.  The inhabitants of the graveyard knew that eventually he would be back looking for him.  The only way the ghosts in the cemetery could possibly care for Bod was if he had a guardian.  Silas became just that.  He would go out and get food and pretty much teach him or bring in others to teach him what he should know.  A girl named Scarlett played with him when he was about five but she and her parents moved away.  Thirteen years after Bod came here Silas discovered who and why they wanted Bod dead.  He was still in danger.  The 5 Jacks came to the graveyard looking for him.  Bod got rid of them all by allowing them to find him then sending them down a hole or inside a ghoul gate or inside the crypt of the Sleer.  He was old enough to go out on his own by then so Silas sent him on his way.  He wanted to travel to far away places that the inhabitants of the graveyard had told him about.

I felt really scared for this tiny little boy who just couldn't stay in his crib.  The best thing he did was go to the cemetery for there he found a family and protector.  I can attune to this book because I love to find cemeteries and old graves but not necessarily at night.  I like to be by myself there.