The graveyard book, by Neil Gaiman

This wonderful, gothic book begins with the murder of a toddler’s family. The toddler manages to allude the killer and heads up hill to the graveyard, where he is taken in by the ghosts, who agree to take care of him so that Jack, who has killed his family, can’t find him.  The Owens become his parents and name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short.  Silas becomes his guardian because he can leave the graveyard to bring Bod food but the ghosts can’t.  Silas is his friend, mentor and protector, a dark person who prefers the night to day, who has no reflection and belongs neither to the world of the living nor the world of the dead.

While Bod remains within the graveyard he is safe from those who would try to kill him.  He has been given the freedom of the graveyard by the ghosts which means he can fade like they do and pass through things like they can as well as see and converse with ghosts.  The ghosts teach him about many things and he explores the graveyard meeting strange beings who are older than time.  But the outside world calls to Bod.  Scarlett, a girl Bod met when he was a young boy, reappears in his life and with her comes the outside world and the man Jack in disguise.  This leads to the climax of the book where Bod must face Jack and avenge the deaths of his family. 

- Rita

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