The Graveyard Book - Chapters 1-2, Week 1 (October 2012)

[William]

Impressions so far? Have you read other works by Gaiman? Would you recommend this to a young person?

[Daniel]

I had never read Gaiman before this year, but for whatever reason this is the third of his books I've read in the past few months. This actually happened to be on hold from my library as an audiobook before the votes were even in for this group. I listened to the first half with my eight-year-old during a long weekend drive (the Newbery Medal win gave me enough confidence for young ears to listen along), and I didn't ever feel like it was inappropriate. Having said that, I know I'm not an "average" parent, and many of my friends would have issues exposing their children to the concept of death in any form—especially when cold murder is involved right off the bat.

[Sophia]

This parent wouldn't have any issues with exposing a child to death - it's a part of life, after all. Murder maybe not... Depends on the child I guess.

[Mikela]

I also wouldn't hesitate to allow a young person to read and enjoy this book even with the murder involved. Kids love a good scare (although this book isn't particularly scary) and there is nothing graphic in Gaiman presentation. I love the way he had the ghosts take such tender care of the child which for young people could also be reassuring. How did your son enjoy the book Daniel?

[Daniel]

Mikela wrote: "How did your son enjoy the book Daniel?"

Daughter, actually, but that's my fault for not being specific. She really enjoyed it while it was being narrated, and didn't want it turned off when I asked if she was enjoying it. I don't think she was necessarily riveted, though, because she hasn't asked about it since and was content to leave it unfinished when we got back home.

[Deborah Wells]

I've read only one other Gaiman book "M is for Magic". I've always been a fan of scary stories and they were cute scary stories. As a child I probably would have devoured Gaiman books.

Death is an important part of life to understand. I would recommend The Graveyard Book to a young person who is mature enough to clearly distinguish fact from fiction, and could possibly learn from it.

[Deborah]

I'm a Gaiman fan, though not a fanatic. I think he writes with a sweetness and a flair for details. I don't like all his books equally. I sometimes find his main characters blurry. I mean they tend to be rather passive and they are prodded through his books by the writer whose hand becomes evident as a result. And yet, I usually enjoy the hell out of his stuff.

So far I'm really enjoying. Although the baby seemed far more present and spunky than the child. So far.

As for recommending it to young people, I try to avoid young people. They're loud and sticky and you're not allowed to curse around them. So, yes, if I came across a young person I'd immediately recommend that they go read something. This seems like it would keep them out of the way.

[Sophia]

You and I are of one mind, Deborah. I try to avoid young people, too.

[William]

Deborah wrote: "As for recommending it to young people, I try to avoid young people. They're loud and sticky and you're not allowed to curse around them. So, yes, if I came across a young person I'd immediately recommend that they go read something. This seems like it would keep them out of the way.
"

And that, is my favorite quote of the day already.

[Casceil]

So, what age of "young people" are we talking about here? I've been wondering what the target age group is for this book. Looking for it in a book store, I found Coraline in two or three sections of the bookstore. When I finally found the Graveyard Book, it was in adult science fiction/fantasy.

[William]

YA covers a pretty broad range usually, because kids development emotionally and mentally is pretty broad from ages 10-17 really. But store clerks probably just identified the book by it's author, and stuck it in adult.

[Deborah Wells]

Deborah wrote: "As for recommending it to young people, I try to avoid young people. They're loud and sticky and you're not allowed to curse around them. So, yes, if I came across a young person I'd immediately recommend that they go read something. This seems like it would keep them out of the way. "

HILARIOUS!

[Carl]

My understanding and my experience is that YA has writing at the 8th grade level, which may be fine, but there are too many books at "higher" levels that are far more engaging in my opinion.

[Daniel]

I've been meaning to post here for some time, but it kept slipping my mind. It was pointed out to me that this book was Neil Gaiman's homage to Kipling's The Jungle Book, which was one of his childhood favourites. I can't verify that statement, but it certainly rang true to me when I considered the similarities.

[Casceil]

I never read The Jungle Book, but I have noticed similarities to another Kipling--Puck of Pook's hill, in the similarities in the child learning history. I always liked Puck's song:

Puck's Song
See you the dimpled track that runs, All hollow through the wheat? O that was where they hauled the guns That smote King Philip's fleet! See you our little mill that clacks, So busy by the brook? She has ground her corn and paid her tax Ever since Domesday Book. See you our stilly woods of oak, And the dread ditch beside? O that was where the Saxons broke, On the day that Harold died! See you the windy levels spread About the gates of Rye? O that was where the Northmen fled, When Alfred's ships came by! See you our pastures wide and lone, Where the red oxen browse? O there was a City thronged and known, Ere London boasted a house! And see you, after rain, the trace Of mound and ditch and wall? O that was a Legion's camping-place, When Caesar sailed from Gaul! And see you marks that show and fade, Like shadows on the Downs? O they are the lines the Flint Men made, To guard their wondrous towns! Trackway and Camp and City lost,Salt Marsh where now is corn; Old Wars, old Peace, old Arts that cease, And so was England born! She is not any common Earth, Water or Wood or Air, But Merlin's Isle of Gramarye, Where you and I will fare.

Rudyard Kipling. Puck of Pook's Hill (Kindle Locations 32-34).

Rudyard Kipling. Puck of Pook's Hill (Kindle Locations 24-32).

[Daniel]

And I haven't read Puck of Pook's Hill, but you're absolutely right about the similarities there as well. Hopefully I can remember to refer back to your excerpt when the discussion gets into spoiler territory...

[Casceil]

Will, I understand you don't want spoilers up until later in the month, but could we maybe have a thread for Chapter 3?

[William]

I'll be putting up threads through chapter 4 and for 5-6 later today, but I need a couple of hours first!