The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Winner of the 2009 Newbery Award, this charming tale tells the adventures of Bod, a normal boy with an unusual upbringing.

Surviving the assassination of his family, by toddling into the graveyard as a baby, Bod - short for Nobody - Owens is given ghostly abilities, "the freedom of the graveyard", by the ghosts who reside there.

Protected by his guardian, the mysterious Silas, who belongs to neither the world of the living or the dead, raised and schooled by ghostly teachers, Bod explores, adventures and learns about life using the abilities granted him.

Follow Bod as he enters an ancient Indigo Man’s tomb, falls prey to ghouls and their ghoul gate, discovers a witch, dances the Macabray and uncovers the reason for his family’s death.

This collection of tales, so reminiscent of Kipling’s Jungle Book is a delight. Wonderfully inventive, an enthralling story that leaves readers wanting more and to cap it all - read by Neil Gaiman himself!


Part of my 100+ Book Challenge

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

When spoilt young Harvey Cheyne, son of a multi-millionaire, falls overboard from the ocean liner taking his mother and himself to Europe, he is picked up by a passing fisherman from the Gloucester schooner "We're Here" just beginning its seasons catch.

The captain, believing Harvey to be mad from his wild talk of reward and famous people, refuses to take the boy home until after the fishing season, but justly offers Harvey the chance to work along side his son Dan, a boy of Harvey’s age, with fair wages to help them bring in the catch.

Through disasters and triumphs, in this coming of age, maritime adventure novel, Harvey finds there is more to life than luxury and learns the value of hard work. As Harvey grows from a boy into a man, Kipling masterfully weaves adventure on the high seas with moral insights from the 19th century that are relevant to all generations since.

This book counts towards the 100+ book challenge.

100+ book challenge

I saw this while browsing on the EOL blog and thought I would have a go. The challenge is going to be finding the time to read, write and post all the reviews. Some will be on Teen Readers, but most will be here! Anyone else want to join me?

Here are the guidelines:

1) You can join anytime as long as you don’t start reading your books prior to 2009.

2) This challenge is for 2009 only. The last day to have all your books read is December 31, 2009.

3) You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2009.

4) If you don’t have a blog, please join our Yahoo Groups.

5) When you sign up under Mr. Linky, list the direct link to your post where your 100+ books will be listed. If you list just your blog’s URL, it will be removed.

6) All books count: children’s, YA, adults, fiction, non-fiction, how-tos, etc.

7) Feel free to post in the comment section or on Yahoo Groups your monthly progress as well as your favorite books that month.


November Books
70.The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

October Books
69.The Pinhoe Egg by Diane Wynne Jones
68:A Knot in the Grain by Robin Mckinley

September Books:
67.Towers in the Mist by Elizabeth Goudge
66.Vampirates : Demons of the Oceans by Justin Somper

August Books:
65.Max by James Patterson
64.Faeries of the Celtic Lands by Nigel Suckling
63.Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
62.Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

July Books:
61.Bloodhound by Tamor Pierce
60.The Eye of the Forest by PB Kerr
59.The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
58.Last Apprentice: Revenge of a Witch by Joseph Delaney
57. Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis
56.Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

June Books:
55.Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
54.Coraline by Neil Gaiman
53.Rose by Jeff Smith
52.Dracula by Bram Stoker
51.Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
50.Lavina by Ursula K Le Guin
49.Dealing with Dragons
48.A Year Without "Made in China"
47.Daughter of the Flames
46.Jonathan Livingston Seagull
45.Teatime for the Traditionally Built

May Books:
44.Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs
43: Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli
42.The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry
41.Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute
40.Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz
39.Ascendant Sun by Catherine Asaro
38.Eat this not that supermarket survival guide
37.Raven by Allison Van Diepen
36:The Lost Cities: A drift House Voyage by Dale Peck
35.The Green Man edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

April Books:
34.The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson
33.Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
32.The Red Tree by Shaun Tan
31.Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
30.The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint
29.The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
28.The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
27.The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan
26.Stargazer by Patrick Carman
25.The Cygnet and the Firebird by Patricia McKillip
24. Princess Ben by Catherine Murdock
23. Broken Moon by Kim Antieau

March books:
22.The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
21. Cave of the Dark Wind by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
20.Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
19.Into the Mist by Patrick Carman
18. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
17. Woods and Waters Wild by Charles de Lint
16.The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
15.When Demons Walk by Patricia Briggs

February books:
14.Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
13.The True Game by Sheri Tepper
12.The Arrival by Shaun Tan
11.The Tiger Rising by Kate Dicamillo
10.Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
9. Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey
8. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

January books:
7.Weedflower by Cynthia Kadahato
6.Daniel X Alien Hunter
5.Day of the Djinn Warriors by P.B Kerr
4.Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
3.Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
2.The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
1.Doctor Who: Agent Provocteur

February Book Club Book: Dewey by Vicki Myron

From the back of the book:

How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can't even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.
 

Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the returned book slot at the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director, Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility, (for a cat) and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.

As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state, and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming town pulling its way slowly back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern

Do you ever wonder where things go when they are missing? Sandy Shortt becomes obsessed with finding where missing things and people are. The obsession begins in childhood when her “frienemy” vanishes while out playing. Sandy becomes someone who cannot rest until every nook is searched if even the smallest item goes missing.

As an adult, Sandy’s job is finding missing people. She puts the same energy into finding families’ lost loved ones that she has always put into finding lost items. She is good at it and that gives families hope. Unfortunately, Sandy’s personal life has been affected by her childhood trauma and she keeps her family and the man she loves at arms length.

While jogging in an unfamiliar town, Sandy loses her way and finds herself in a place the inhabitants call, “Here”. She quickly recognizes some of the inhabitants as the missing people she has been looking for all her life. Once again, Sandy starts searching, but this time, she is searching for the way home.

Written by Angie Coburn

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Just the right amount of ridiculous in this unique alternate history caper.

The year is 1985, but not Britain as we know it. Here the Crimean War is still raging with Imperialist Russia after 130 years, time travel is an everyday thing and cloned dodoes the nation’s favorite pet.

In this alternate world, literature is taken very seriously. The forging of famous poets is a criminal offense, “Will-Speak” machines quote Shakespeare on the street corner, plays are acted out with audience participation and the rare talent for jumping in and out of books exists.

Our heroine, Thursday Next, works for the Literary Division of Special Ops in London, so when the precious original manuscript of Martin Chuzzlewit is stolen without a trace of evidence left behind, Thursday is on the case. And she knows who they are after – a man with a dangerous talent of persuasion, her old English Professor, the third most wanted criminal - Acheron Hades. With the help of a Prose Portal, Acheron Hades sends a henchman into the book to kidnap Mr. Quaverley and have him murdered, eliminating his character from existence. But the Chuzzlewit manuscript is small beans to this villain. He is after one of the plums of the literary worlds – the original manuscript of Jane Eyre. He plans to throw the world into uproar by stealing Jane Eyre right out of the pages. Now, Thursday Next, with the help of her team and Mr. Rochester must stop him.

This delightful, surreal, first -in-a-series novel will please across the board. Fforde has created a believable world with an engaging heroine and down-right evil villain and just the right mix of satire, fantasy and romance.

Enjoy your copy by clicking here!