Cole Hinton Book review on "The Graveyard Book"

The Graveyard Book was given the John Newbery Medal in the year 2009. For 15 weeks, The Graveyard Book was put on the New York Times best-seller list for children’s chapter books. The Graveyard Book is about a young boy named Nobody Owens(Bod for short) who as a toddler, his family was murdered. While his family was being murdered, the toddler was curious and left his crib and left the house. He walked all the way up to a graveyard where ghosts noticed this toddler stumble in. Soon after many decisions made, Bod could stay at the graveyard. Years went by and Bod started learning his A,B,Cs by “the dead” in the graveyard. But one day, Bod stumbled across something very strange and was nothing like the rest of the graveyard hence where the adventure of Bod’s journey discovering and unmasking secrets found around every new corner. To me, Bod is the main character in this book because of his background story and his effect on the graveyard and the people there. But, there is more characters in this other than Bod. Silas, who is Bod’s caretaker, is a quiet person who you really don’t hear from in this book. Silas leaves Bod in the graveyard sometimes to go places but are not really told where. Scarlett Perkins is a little girl Bod’s age who Bod meets one day become playmates. Then there’s the ghouls and the things Bod is told to stay away from. The ghouls are a different kind of dead which Silas explains to Bod all the time.

I don’t really think there are very important conflicts in this book there are some that stand out. Most of the conflicts are caused by Bod and himself getting himself in trouble or him going afar to figure out something on his mind. But, Bod has had conflicts with ghouls many of times most resulting in injuries. I think I am somewhat related to Bod in some way. I like to figure things out if they are on my mind and don’t want to go away until it has been solved or has no more meaning to it. Bod seems to be a rule breaker by not listening to Silas and the people in the graveyard that care about him and defying them by associating with the bad people in the graveyard.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I feel like this book was both an action packed and thirst quenching for the most part and it always had you thinking of what happen next to this boy along his way in the graveyard. One strength in this book would be that it always gave you new information and it made you feel like you were being taught along side with Bod. Another strength would be that it refreshed your memory of past conflicts or dreams of Bod. One weakness that I think this book had was the pictures it left you in your mind. Some parts were too much for me to even imagine after awhile. I also think this book over exaggerated on some parts. To me I think that in a book is good but, it will also have the reader(maybe younger than 7th grade) think that some of the things talked about in the book are real.

I recommend this book to anyone but, mostly to people who like a hair raising story or something that will have you think ahead and might prove you wrong. I don’t really recommend this to a younger audience not because it’s a challenge but, as book that has a lot of not so real and scary parts that might not be suitable