The Graveyard Book

There are so many things I want to share with my daughter: Doctor Who, Shaun of the Dead, Universal Monsters, The Muppet Show, Carl Barks, Usagi Yojimbo, and now THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. What can I add to the many voices on this fantastic book? Not much, I'm afraid.

I "read" Neil Gaiman's multiple award winning book in audio form. Mr. Gaiman reads the unabridged version and does so wonderfully. So few authors perform their own materials. I can only think of a handful off hand (Max Allan Collins, Harlan Ellison, Stephen King) and they can sometimes be a mixed bag (except Ellison who is always wonderful). Gaiman breathes life into the voices and makes each distinct without taking away from the story. I can still hear Mr. Owens' voice in my head and love to try and imitate it.

The story is simple enough - a boy is orphaned and raised by the inhabitants of a graveyard. He meets friends and enemies, is educated, does battle, and finally grows up and leaves home. Gaiman wrote this as a modern take on THE JUNGLE BOOK by Rudyard Kipling and does an admirable job.

I can think of no better young person's book in the last few years, and I sample many to prepare myself for my daughter's reading future. Only four more years until I can share this great book with my little one.