Gaiman, Neil. 2008. The Graveyard Book. Ill. by Dave
McKean. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0060530938
2. PLOT SUMMARY
A toddler unknowingly escapes his
would-be murderer after the rest of his family has been killed. He wanders into
the abandoned graveyard/nature preserve across the street where he is hidden
from the murderer and adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, two ghosts residing there. Since ghosts cannot leave the graveyard and
physically provide for him, another supernatural being –Silas- agrees to be his
guardian. (Silas is neither living, nor dead, so he mitigates between the two
worlds.) The boy is allowed to stay and given the “Freedom of the Graveyard” so
that he is able to live there unseen and protected until he is grown. He is given the name Nobody Owens—Bod, for
short. An eccentric group of centuries old ghosts educate Bod in things of both
the natural and supernatural world. He encounters ghouls, a witch, and a
werewolf as a normal part of his life, but also ventures out to make contact
with living beings. The man Jack who murdered Bod’s parents is still looking
for him, so being outside the graveyard is dangerous. Eventually, Jack and his friends find Bod and
make a second attempt to kill him, but Bod’s “family” in the graveyard helps
him to defeat the men. By the time Bod
reaches the age of 15, the threat on his life is gone and his “freedom of the
graveyard” is beginning to fade. Bit by bit he loses the special abilities to
see and interact with the dead, and he is finally sent off by Silas and the
Owens’ to live his life to the fullest, knowing one day he will return to his
graveyard “home.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Each
of the eight chapters of The Graveyard
Book could stand alone as a short story. This, in fact, was the author’s
intention, inspired as he was by Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Gaiman
stated in his Newberry Award acceptance speech, “I wanted the book to be
composed of short stories, because The
Jungle Book was short stories. And I wanted it to be a novel, because it
was a novel in my head” (Gaiman 2009). As a novel, it is a coming of age story
rich with imagery, symbolism, and themes that reach every reader.
Each
chapter is a new chapter in Bod’s life as he grows up in the safety of the graveyard,
creating a connection with the reader as he/she invests in Bod’s life. Orphaned
as a toddler in chapter one, he is given a name—a new identity. As a
preschooler in chapter two, he learns his letters, his boundaries, and makes
and loses his first living friend. In chapter three, six-year-old Bod makes life
threatening mistakes, but through those mistakes he learns to trust his
guardians, Bod is ten in chapters four and five when he first ventures beyond
the graveyard proper, finds friendship with a dead witch, and then leaves the
graveyard to find a way to show compassion for her “unhallowed” state. The headstone is a symbol of respect, as well
as friendship and compassion in this story. Because Bod’s friend died accused
of being a witch, she is buried in the Potter’s Field with nothing marking her
grave. Bod finds a way to show compassion for the lack of respect she feels by
making a headstone for her showing that he cares, even if no one in her
lifetime did. His decision to go into the living world to find this headstone
puts his life at risk, and he learns another important lesson about whom to trust.
He
also comes to the realization that despite being at “home” in the graveyard and
“family” to its inhabitants, he is still an outsider. He dances the Macabray as
one of the living, yet remembers it like one of the dead; still, he has no one
to whom he can confide and discuss this curious night. The dance itself symbolizes isolation and the
thin line between life and death. Bod interacts with both the living and the
dead every day, but he remains isolated—an outsider. Silas cannot participate
in the dance. Like Bod, he is able to interact with both worlds, but he, too,
is an outsider.
The
Interlude is the one unnumbered chapter that does not make sense as a
stand-alone short story since it provides background information for the Jacks
in the story and a partial explanation of the murder that took place in the
beginning of the book.
As
a preteen in chapter six, Bod learns his own story—where he came from and that
his family’s killer is still out there looking for him. He also realizes that
he must learn more than what the graveyard can teach him in order to survive;
he understands Silas’s comment that “life is potential.” The graveyard has been Bod’s library. He
learned to read its books (headstones), he has learned that the stories of each
headstone take him to other places, and that some (the ghoul gate) transport
him to other worlds. The irony of the
title becomes clear—the graveyard is a book, or rather, a library of
books. Along with this “library,”
however, Bod needs experience. he goes to school where he has to deal with
bullies, and then leaves school because his involvement with the bullies causes
him to be too noticeable to remain safe. He is an outsider among the living;
yet, he needs to continue to learn in order to survive. Where better to
continue, than at the library surrounded by books and by living people?
In chapter seven, fourteen-year-old Bod feels
trapped in the graveyard while his guardian is gone. He misses the outside
world and begins to realize he is outgrowing his childhood friends who never
grow or change themselves. He struggles to understand girls – why at times his
witch friend will not speak to him, and why after rescuing his newly returned
living friend Scarlett, she calls him a monster. He confronts his past when he
encounters the man Jack who had tried to kill him as an infant, and he has to
use all he has learned in both worlds in order to survive and escape what
others have determined as his fate. He
meets that possible fate in the depths of the oldest tomb and makes choices
that change his life.
The
brooch, knife, and cup in the oldest tomb have symbolized greed throughout the
story and now come full circle. It begins with the greed of the original owner
who had his treasure buried with him. The greed of the Sleer who guards them
was evident as he tried to scare away would-be tomb raiders. The men at the
pawn shop were over taken by greed when Bod brought in the brooch. Jack saw the
items and the tomb as a place to continue the Convocation, but his greed to have
them and have ultimate power as the master overtook him and led to his demise
in the coils of the Sleer who greedily engulfed “the master.”
Finally,
in chapter eight, Bod is fifteen and the “freedom of the graveyard” is fading;
he is less able to see the ghosts and do the special things he has grown up
doing there. He is pushed out of the
nest, out of the safety of home in order to truly live.
The
short story style of the book breaks the flow of the narrative to some degree;
however, the reader is quickly plunged into the imagery of this graveyard tale.
The book is an easy read for middle level readers, but is descriptive enough to
hold the interest of older readers. The strong characterization draws the
reader to make a personal connection, while the unanswered questions leave the
reader longing for more.
Multiple
themes are woven into the novel. Primary among these are the themes of life and
death, community, and good vs. evil. The
dead are going about their own business in the graveyard and welcome Bod as a
part of their “family,” but they know the importance of a life well lived.
Although Bod thinks he wants to live among them forever, they want him to
experience life, have adventures, and live to his potential. Only after his
life has ended and the adventures no longer matter, can he truly be one of them
and “live” among them for the rest of forever.
As
a community, the spirits of the graveyard all have a hand in raising Bod even
though technically the Owens’ are his adoptive parents and Silas is his
guardian. Many of the ghosts assist in his education, watch over him as he
grows, and help rescue him in the end.
These are his friends and family, but he also longs to be a part of the
world of his “first family.” He has to find the community where he fits in.
Gaiman
adds a twist to the traditional theme of good vs. evil as he depicts the
stereotypical “bad guys” (i.e. werewolves, vampires, ghosts) as the good guys
in this story. The bad guys here are the humans (i.e. bullies, Jacks). The evil
man Jack kills Bod’s first family, yet Bod survives among the good ghosts of
the graveyard. The werewolf and the
vampire are his protectors, and they seek to destroy the evil Jacks. Ironically
Bod is safer living with the dead because the living are trying to kill him.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2010
Carnegie Medal in Literature
2009
Newbery Medal
ALA
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2008
ALA
Notable Children’s Book for Middle Readers, 2009
ALA
Best Book for Young Adults
American
Bookseller Association's "Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book", 2009
Dorothy
Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (Vermont)
Chicago
Tribune Young Adult Literary Prize (for body of work)
2009
Audio Publishers Association Audie Award -Audiobook of the Year
"Thriller/Suspense"
and "Children's Titles for Ages 8-12" categories
IndieBound
Award
Horn
Book Honor
Midwest
Booksellers Choice Award
2009
Locus Award – Best Young Adult Novel
2009
Hugo Award - "Best Novel"
Booktrust
Teenage Prize
Horn
Book Fanfare: Best Books of 2008
Kirkus
Reviews Best Children's Books of 2008
Cooperative
Children's Book Center Choice 2009
Fall
2008 Indie Next List, "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
- #1
New
York Public Library's 2008 "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing"
New
York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age
Amazon.com
Best Books of 2008 - Editors' Top 10 for Teens, #9
Time
Magazine Top Ten of 2008 Fiction List - #9
Bank
Street College of Education Best Children's Books of 2009
2009
Capitol Choices (District of Columbia); in "age 10-14" and audiobook
categories
#1
New York Times Bestseller (61 weeks in the top 10)
National
Indie Bestseller
BookScan
Bestseller
From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional
center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting….
Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and
sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”
(Megan Honig, New York Public Library,
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.)
From BOOKLIST – “This
is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining
cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s
ultimate message is strong and life affirming.” (Holly Koelling)
From KIRKUS – "Wistful,
witty, wise-and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been
a child."
From HORN BOOK – “Lucid, evocative prose
and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality… this
ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished."
5. CONNECTIONS
Gather other Newbery Medal and Honor books to read such as:
·
L’Engle, Madeleine. A
Wrinkle in Time. ISBN 978-0312367541
·
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. ISBN 978-0440237686
·
Sachar, Louis. Holes. ISBN 978-0440414803
·
Patterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. ISBN 978-0060734015
Gather content specific books to read such as:
·
Wolfman, Ira. Do People Grow
on Family Trees?: Genealogy for Kids and Other Beginners, The Official Ellis
Island Handbook. ISBN 978-0894803482
·
Peacock, Louise. At Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices.
ISBN 978-0689830266
Use the Newbery Award and Honor books as coming of age selections
for literature circles in a middle school English/Language Arts class. Small
groups read and analyze various aspects of one selected novel per group. The
culminating activity involves a class presentation of the group’s findings.
Read the The Graveyard
Book as an introduction to a social studies unit on family history. Use Do People Grow on Family Trees? to springboard
a research project on genealogy. Follow up with At Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices to springboard into a
unit about immigrants and immigration in the history of the United States.
Sources:
Gaiman, Neil. "2009 Newbery Acceptance
Speech."In the Words of the Winners: The Newbery and Caldecott Medals
2001-2010. Chicago: American library Association, 2011. 173-179. Print.
I Am the Messenger
Zusak, Markus.
2005. I Am the Messenger. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.
ISBN 978-0375830990.
2.
PLOT SUMMARY
The novel is divided into five parts.
Part One introduces the protagonist, Ed Kennedy, an underage, underachieving
cab-driver. He is hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey (also a cab
driver); their other friends Marv and Ritchie lead equally routine lives. The
story opens with the friends in the midst of a botched bank robbery from which
Ed emerges as a hero. That is when the cards
start arriving in the mail. The first card Ed receives is the Ace of Diamonds,
upon which is written three addresses. Ed has to discover the need at each
location and provide what is needed (protection), including murder if
necessary. Once all three tasks are completed, Ed receives another card in the
mail. Part Two brings the Ace of Clubs
with a more cryptic message that Ed must first decode before meeting the needs
of others at the three locations. He must survive beatings of his own in order
to complete this part. In Part Three, he
receives the Ace of Spades and another coded message that must be deciphered in
order to find the locations of the three people in need. He has to dig deep for
the answers. Ed assumes in Part Four that
the final card is the Ace of Hearts, and when it arrives it requires him to
discover and meet the needs of his three closest friends. Ed feels accomplished
at having completed all twelve tasks, but when he returns home he finds The
Joker waiting in his mailbox for delivery of the last message. After weeks of
waiting, the final message is delivered to Ed in the form of a reflection on
all he has done and an explanation of why all this has occurred.
3.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The characters of this novel are regular
people going about their ordinary, everyday, mundane lives. In the beginning,
Ed Kennedy feels insignificant compared to most people and lets life pass him
by without really achieving anything. Ritchie
is lazy and lacks any ambition whatsoever. Marv appears to be miserly, but in
reality he is keeping a secret he does not have the courage or maturity to
handle. Audrey has been hurt in the past and will not allow herself to feel
love, so she seeks comfort in meaningless relationships. Young adults can
identify with these characters in whom they may see themselves or their own friends.
In many ways, they are typical 19-20 year olds trying to figure out who they
are, how to be adults, and what to do with the rest of their lives.
It is that struggle for identity to which
readers can relate as each character undergoes an emotional growth. Ed has a
big heart and struggles to do the right thing with each person he is led to by
the cards. He continues to return to them, and sends them Christmas cards, even
after his task is completed. Ed must then
act as the messenger for his friends which opens his eyes to the fact that he
has only seen them on the surface. Moving beyond the superficial nature of his friendships,
Ed discovers that Ritchie is really struggling with self-worth and helps him
realize that he has to step out of his comfort zone and find something that
drives him—starting with looking for a job. (This is not advice Ed could have
given until he, himself, underwent significant change due to the messages he
has delivered.) Ed uncovers the truth
behind what he believed to be stinginess in Marv. He helps Marv have the maturity
to face the mother of his child and the courage to stand up to her father so
that he can be a father to his own
child. (Ed had to gain maturity and self-confidence along the way in order to
give Marv this kind of support.) Finally, Ed shows his love for Audrey
throughout the novel, but in the end confronts her with the fact that she loves
him, too, even if only for a three minute dance. Ed is no longer the
self-conscious, apologetic admirer, but has gained the confidence to really ask
Audrey to love him rather than just stealing a clumsy kiss. Audrey is significantly moved and ready to
love and be loved by the end of the novel.
The story is a captivating read with
unexpected twists and turns as Ed uncovers the mystery of the cards. It keeps
the reader engaged wondering, along with the protagonist, how to solve the
clues, and who is sending the cards and the hit men to ensure that he does. The
climax of the story is inevitable--Ed has helped strangers, now he must help
those to whom he is closest. The conclusion, however, lacks sincerity and
plausibility. The Horn Book Magazine describes the ending as “too clever and ultimately
confusing,” and Kirkus Reviews says it is “unlikely, even gimmicky.” The
author’s use of dues ex machina leaves
the reader feeling cheated since the themes developed throughout the novel
could have adequately been resolved in a more satisfying way. There are no unsolvable problems that require
a mysterious, godlike author to intervene, and once he does, Ed’s challenges
feel contrived, losing the reader’s interest in retrospect.
The setting of the novel is contemporary Australia as
evidenced by the dialect and customs referenced in the novel. The city itself
is unnamed, giving the story the opportunity to transcend that setting and be
relatable to a variety of readers. The story has only a few cultural markers,
and presents the reader with real people with real problems. There is an appropriate balance of male and
female characters and typical stereotypes are avoided.
A key theme of the novel is self-discovery. At the
beginning, Ed is unsuccessful in love (by his own admission) and going nowhere
in life. As the messenger, he is forced to help others which turns into his own
journey of self-discovery. He is intrigued by the cards that arrive in the
mail, and with the current state of his life, what else does he have to do? He
puts off the first task of dealing with a man abusing his wife because he lacks
courage, but as he works his way through the names and addresses from each
card, his courage grows. The positive impact he has on others begins to affect
him, as well; he begins to genuinely care about others and realize there is
more to life than what he has right now. Helping others gives Ed a sense of
purpose and importance--meaning in his life. He uses the courage and
self-confidence that he gains on his journey to stand up to his mother and speak
truthfully to his brother, and he discovers that in helping others, he has
helped himself.
The author’s style contributes to the novel’s
effectiveness. He uses Australian dialects and slang to create down-to-earth,
believable characters. Zusak cleverly uses whimsical words and alliteration to
describe them: “Marv's the maestro of
meanness with money. The prince of penny-pinchers" (Zusak 2005). The text also has a certain poetic quality as
Zusak often gives fragments or single words their own line in order to make an
impact on the reader. Since the
story is told from Ed’s point of view, the reader can easily see the change
that takes place within him. The tone at the beginning of the novel was one of
resignation to his lot in life. Ed spoke in short sentences and focused on his
failures. Through the messages he delivers and the influence he realizes he has
on the lives of others, Ed’s tone becomes more hopeful, curious about life, and
his attitude reflects a willingness to step out of his old self-assigned role.
4.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
New South Wales Premier's Literary
Award for Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (2003)
Children's Book Council of Australia Award for Book of the
Year: Older Readers (2003)
Printz Honor (2006)
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis for Preis der Jugendjury
(2007)
Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book (2006)
Abraham
Lincoln Award Nominee (2009)
Margaret
A. Edwards Award (2014)
YALSA
Best Books for Young Adults (Top Ten) (2006)
Goldener
Lufti (2006)
Literaturpreis
der Jury der jungen Leser for Jugendbuch (2007)
From SCHOOL LIBRARY
JOURNAL - Zusak's
characters, styling, and conversations are believably unpretentious, well
conceived, and appropriately raw. Together, these key elements fuse into an
enigmatically dark, almost film-noir atmosphere where unknowingly lost Ed
Kennedy stumbles onto a mystery - or series of mysteries - that could very well
make or break his life.” (Hillias
J. Martin, New York Public Library. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a
division of Reed Elsevier Inc.)
From
BOOKLIST – “Two particular
elements will keep readers enthralled: the panoply of characters who stream in
and out of the story, and the mystery of the person sending Ed on the
life-altering missions. Concerning the former, Zusak succeeds brilliantly. Ed's
voice is assured and unmistakeable, and other characters, although seen through
Ed's eyes, are realistically and memorably evoked….As for the ending, however,
Zusak is too clever by half. He offers too few nuts-and-bolts details before
wrapping things up with an unexpected, somewhat unsatisfying recasting of the
narrative. (Ilene Cooper Copyright ©
American Library Association.)
From HORN
BOOK – “While readers expecting to learn the who and why behind Ed’s
mysterious, life-changing game of aces may feel shortchanged by an ending that
is at once too clever and ultimately confusing, the laid-back, dryly humorous
first-person voice is engaging and unsentimental.
From KIRKUS –
“Suspense builds about who is sending the messages, but readers hoping for a
satisfying solution to that mystery will be disappointed. Those, however, who
like to speculate about the nature of fiction, might enjoy the unlikely, even
gimmicky, conclusion.”
5.
CONNECTIONS
Gather other award winning and honor books to read:
·
Brugman,
Alyssa. Finding Grace. ISBN 978-0440238331
·
Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion. ISBN 978-0689852237
·
Schmidt,
Gary. The Wednesday Wars. ISBN 978-0618724833
·
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. ISBN 978-0385732550
Gather poems and novels in verse to read about Sylvia
Plath:
·
Plath,
Sylvia. The Collected Poems of Sylvia
Plath. Ed. Ted Hughes. ISBN 978-0808595045
·
Hemphill,
Stephanie. Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse
Portrait of Sylvia Plath. ISBN 978-0375837999
Use Finding Grace, The House of the Scorpion,
The Wednesday Wars, and The Giver
in literature circles revolving around the theme of self-discovery in a middle
school English/Language Arts unit.
Read selected
poems from The Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath as part of an
English/Language Arts unit on poetry. Pair the poems with the verse novel Your
Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath to make connections across the genres of poetry and
biography.
The Odyssey
Hinds, Gareth.
2010. The Odyssey. New York: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763642681.
2.
PLOT SUMMARY
In a reinterpretation of Homer’s
classic The Odyssey, this graphic
novel tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, returning home from his
victory in the Trojan War. On the way home, he angers Poseidon by blinding his
son (the Cyclops) and is cursed to spend years shipwrecked far from home. As
the story opens, Odysseus is held captive on an island by the nymph Calypso
when the gods decide to intervene in Poseidon’s grudge against him. He must battle man-eating monsters, violent
storms, and the seductive sirens and sorceresses in order to make his way home.
Back in Ithaca, however, usurpers have been harassing his wife Penelope
attempting to wed her and steal his kingdom. She holds them at bay awaiting
Odysseus’ return while he son Telemachus searches for him.
3.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The characters in this graphic novel are reflective
of the originals from Homer’s epic poem. They are given depth with the expressive
watercolor Hinds uses to capture their facial expressions and body language. The
color scheme adds to the quality of the novel – softer blues and grays for the
more pensive scenes, and fiery reds and oranges for action. Hinds’ vivid
descriptions of sea creatures and other mythical characters, alongside the
human characters in the story, excite the imagination.
The story follows the typical pattern for the
journey of the hero, Odysseus, but it also parallels the journey of his son
Telemachus as he searches for his father.
Odysseus’ ordinary world is the island of Ogygia where he is kept by
Calypso. His call to adventure comes when Calypso is forced by the gods to
release him, but at first Odysseus is skeptical. He refuses to believe that this
is not a trick and that he can journey from an island that has become familiar
to him in order to regain the home he desires. Ultimately, he crosses the first
threshold by accepting the call and leaving the island. The goddess Athena
serves as his mentor as he faces the wrath of Poseidon and battles his way back
to Ithaca. In parallel, Telemachus is
led by Athena to leave his ordinary world of Ithaca on a quest to find his
father.
Odysseus faces many enemies and struggles along the way,
but his primary foe is Poseidon.
Shipwrecked by the god, Odysseus allies himself with the Phaecians who
help him reach Ithaca. It is at this point that he approaches his “inmost cave,”
as Athena advises him to enter the city in disguise. He discovers the plotting
of would-be usurpers and meets his son for the first time. Telemachus’ journey
now merges with Odysseus’ as they make plans to discover who is loyal and whom
to slay. Odysseus’ supreme ordeal is facing his wife’s suitors and exacting
revenge on any who are not loyal to him. After much waiting, he kills the
traitors in battle in the palace courtyard. His reward: regaining his kingdom,
his wife, his son, and being reuniting with a father who is still alive after
all the years Odysseus has been gone.
The road back can be seen in Odysseus’ journey to bring
his father, Laertes, back to live in the palace. Together with Laertes and
Telemachus, and aided by Athena, he faces and defeats his final enemy – the fathers
of the slain suitors. Odysseus is
rescurrected to his old self, free from constant war. His “return with the
Elixir” is the defeat of his enemies and the restoration of peace in his kingdom
The setting is primarily the ancient world of the Greeks
which is brought to life by the illustrations. From the architecture of homes
and gathering places to the vessels setting sail on the seas, the reader is
immersed in the legendary time period. Details of the setting are vividly
described, particularly through the words of Odysseus as he recounts his
adventures to the Phaecians. The skillful choice of colors in the illustrations
complements the descriptions. The grays tinged with bits of red and brown in
the land of the dead, for example, transport the reader to this realm with a
sense of foreboding. In addition to the ancient world, the reader also gets a
glimpse of the dwelling of the gods as they converse about Odysseus’ situation
or as he travels there himself. This supernatural element contributes to the
fantasy and transports readers to a time and place that could not exist in the
modern world.
Multiple themes may be found in this novel including good
vs. evil, love conquers all, and the importance of perseverance. The
protagonist (good) eventually wins out over the evil intents of Poseidon, over the
usurpers plotting to steal his kingdom, and over those seeking revenge. Odysseus’ love for his home and family help
him to conquer the enemies and pass the tests he faces along the way. Despite the
fact that he is often stubborn and arrogant, the reader connects with the
character and cheers him on. It is those qualities that help him persevere in
his quest. The themes are masterfully intertwined in the original text and do
not suffer in the least in Hinds’ translation.
The author’s style presents a clear and
consistent point of view closely following the original text. Rather than using a third person narrator,
the novel is presented in scenes using the first person dialog of characters
present in a particular scene. Hinds’ modern wording makes the story easy to
follow, briefly transcending the setting so that the modern reader can more
deeply connect with the characters. Hinds’ vivid descriptions and modern feel
keep the reader engaged and immersed in this fantastic world.
4.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
From SCHOOL LIBRARY
JOURNAL – “Hinds's
beautiful watercolors skillfully capture the rosy-fingered dawn, the wine-dark
sea, the land of the dead, and many other settings and characters that will
inspire readers. This adaptation goes far above and beyond the “highlights”
coverage that other versions…provide.”
From
BOOKLIST – “A grand example of
Hinds’ ability to combine historical adventure with human understanding.”
From HORN
BOOK – “A timeless long-ago past
comes alive in these images of gods and heroes, monsters and enchantresses; of
mayhem, lovemaking, and touching reunions-all arrayed in frames whose shape,
number, and palette expertly pace and propel the story. As introduction,
outline, illustration, and visual translation, a worthy companion to its great
predecessors.”
From KIRKUS
– “Holds nothing back and is
proudly, grittily realistic rather than cheerfully cartoonish... Big, bold,
beautiful.”
5.
CONNECTIONS
Gather classic literature to read:
·
Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. ISBN 978-0140268867
·
Homer.
The Illiad. Trans. Robert Fagles. ISBN 978-0140275360
·
Virgil. The Aeneid. Trans. Robert
Fagles. ISBN 978-0670038039
Gather other books
by Gareth Hinds to read:
·
Beowulf. ISBN 978-0763630232
·
Romeo
and Juliet. ISBN 978-0763668075
Use The Illiad, The
Aeneid, and The Odyssey in
literature circles for a high school English unit on classical literature.
Use excerpts
from The Illiad, The Aeneid, and The Odyssey, along with summaries
produced in conjunction with the high school English unit as a spring board to
introduce the ancient world in a high school level World History course.
Use the
Gareth Hinds graphic novels as a introduction and as companion pieces to the
classic texts of Beowulf and Romeo and Juliet in a high school
English course.
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