Plot Summary: The setting of this story is in a graveyard, where Nobody Owens, a young boy, is living with ghosts since his family was murdered. The lives of his mother, father, and sister were taken in the middle of the night, and he would have been murdered as well if it wasn’t for the fact that he heard a loud noise, climbed out of his crib, and toddled out of the house down to the graveyard. The ghost of his mother appeared to the folks of the graveyard begging one woman in particular, Mrs. Owens, to take care of and protect her child. There was a great debate amongst the people of the graveyard-some 300 participants argued and spent an entire night discussing whether or not they should allow a live boy to stay and live there. Mr. and Mrs. Owens agree to take care of and raise him and they give him the name of Nobody Owens.
Silas is the only one who can leave the graveyard, so he volunteers to be the guardian of Nobody to ensure that he has food and proper clothing. So “Bod,” as he is known to the spirits in the graveyard, is given the “Freedom of the Graveyard” which means that he can pretty much go anywhere within. As Bod grows older, he is taught to read and to do some of the things that the ghosts can do, such as “fade” and blend in to his surroundings even though he is a live boy. He meets Scarlett, a real girl, whose parents come to sit on a bench and read in the cemetery. He spends some time with her and together they make some interesting discoveries in the cemetery, such as coming face to face with the Indigo Man and hearing the Sleer. Scarlett moves and Bod is once again left to find someone to play with. Silas has to leave so he arranges for Ms. Lupescu to come and take care of Bod. Bod is angry that Silas is leaving and immediately dislikes Ms. Lupescu. Things become more difficult when she feeds him terrible food and makes him learn things about the graveyard that Bod thinks are ridiculous. His boredom leads him to meet some newly arrived members of the graveyard, and he winds up being taken through a ghoul gate by ghouls. Luckily, the things that Ms. Lupescu taught him come in handy and he is able to summon help. Ms. Lupescu saves his life and Bod’s attitude towards her changes significantly. As Bod grows older, he is allowed to venture a bit from the graveyard and attend school. He must learn to be just a shadow and a whisper to people, and to not draw attention to himself. Bod blossoms into a responsible young man who is quite capable of taking care of himself both inside and outside of the graveyard. The man Jack has not forgotten about him though, and Bod must be ready to face him when the time comes with the support of his family.
Genre: Mystery
Subjects/Themes: Cemeteries, Ghosts, Supernatural, Orphans
Awards: Newbery Award (won award) 2009
Hugo Awards (won award) 2009Los Angeles Times Book Prizes (nominated for an award) 2008Locus Awards (won award) 2009Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature (nominated for an award) 2009Audie Award (won award) 2009World Fantasy Awards (nominated for an award) 2009Elizabeth Burr/Worrall Award (won award) 2009Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards (nominated for an award) 2009Book Sense Book of the Year (won award) 2009American Library Association Notable Books for Children (won award) 2009Great Stone Face Children's Book Award (nominated for an award) 2009Evergreen Young Adult Book Award (nominated for an award) 2011Kate Greenaway Medal (nominated for an award) 2010Carnegie Medal (won award) 2010Young Reader's Choice Award (nominated for an award) 2011
Reviews: Received *Starred review* from Booklist, as well as very positive review from School Library Journal
Suggested age range: 8 through 12
Annotation: This book gives the reader a rare glimpse into the community and daily activities of the graveyard, where live people are the outsiders.
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