Even though the majority of the characters are dead, they are vibrantly alive in the reader’s imagination. The graveyard itself is a vividly dark character that seems to beckon you. While the narrative is essentially a retelling of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, it is an emotional story of its own that shows you how wonderful it truly is to be alive.

The audiobook, narrated by Gaiman himself, is absolutely fantastic. He has given each character their own voice and sends your imagination souring. This really is an audio book that should be heard. To get a sample of what it sounds like, here is Neil Gaiman reading the first chapter of the book during his book tour.

The Graveyard Book won the 2009 Newbery Medal, the 2009 Hugo Award for Best Novel, and the Carnegie Medal in 2010.