Seraphina, I had that same thought when I picked up the book while browsing at the bookstore. I put it down and thought - "Yikes! Pretty violent!" A few weeks later one of my sixth grade students had the book on her desk. We talked about it and I commented that I thought it might be a little too ... more

Seraphina, I had that same thought when I picked up the book while browsing at the bookstore. I put it down and thought - "Yikes! Pretty violent!" A few weeks later one of my sixth grade students had the book on her desk. We talked about it and I commented that I thought it might be a little too much. "Oh no," she said, "it's not that at all. Try it. You'll like it." I did. It is now one of my favorite books!

I read this book and enjoyed it. I usually like ghost stories, and am writing a historical juvenile now that has a ghost in it. When I first read the opening chapter, I wondered if the Graveyard Book was going to be too dark a story for juvenile readers. Then I changed my mind. I think the autho... more

I read this book and enjoyed it. I usually like ghost stories, and am writing a historical juvenile now that has a ghost in it. When I first read the opening chapter, I wondered if the Graveyard Book was going to be too dark a story for juvenile readers. Then I changed my mind. I think the author's humor is what saved the story from that course and turned it into basically an adventure and mystery with ghosts. It moved the story along beautifully to the very end.