The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audiobook)-312 pages in print

A toddler's entire family is murdered by a man, so the toddler escapes the house and somehow finds its way to a nearby graveyard and is taken in by inhabitants (dead) of the graveyard as their own. Mrs. Owens is the first to find him, so he is named Nobody "Bod" Owens by the graveyard folk. A "man" named Silas who has free access to the graveyard (as does Bod) acts as his caretaker, bringing him food, clothes, and teaching him lessons. Additionally, Silas leaves him in the care of capable others when he goes on "business" trips. Adventures abound including encounters with ghouls, night-gaunts, a witch, the Jacks of All Trades (one of which killed his family and all later try unsuccessfully to kill him again). It is a coming of age story of sorts that only Neil Gaiman could tell. I enjoyed Gaiman's narration and I enjoy reading his books, especially since he is a staunch library advocate (his books are good, too, though).