Graphic Novel Review – The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel: Vol 1 by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell (4.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Length: 192 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0062194817
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Graveyard Book Graphic Novel series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This was a well done graphic novel retellling of The Graveyard book by Gaiman. It tells half of the story and sticks with the book very well (at least as far as I can remember…I read it a long time ago).

Those who have read The Graveyard Book already know the story. A toddler escapes his house after his parents and siblings are murdered by a mysterious man and wanders into a graveyard. The ghosts of the graveyard decide to raise the boy as their own and name him Nobody Owens (aka Bod Owens). Thus starts the adventures of Bod and his life in a graveyard.

This was a well done retelling of The Graveyard book. The illustration is very detailed and easy to follow; it’s very well done. The book is broken into different sub-stories each telling about an adventure that Bod has.

I love the concept of ghosts raising a young boy and the unique issues he runs into. I also love that there is a greater mystery of who the man Jack is and what he wants which continues throughout the book from story to story.

This book always makes me feel a bit melancholy because Bod is such a happy carefree boy at first, but as he grows and learns he is different he changes quite a bit. I guess this is true of us all as we grow.

Overall a very well done retelling of The Graveyard Book in graphic novel format. I would definitely recommend if you enjoy fantasy graphic novels. I will be picking up the 2nd part of the graphic novel retelling of The Graveyard book to read soon.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge