The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel, Volume 1, by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell

Harper Collins, 2014

ISBN13: 9780062312556

Available: Hardback

So let’s say a beautiful story, the kind you never forget, isn’t good enough for you. So someone decides to translate it into a visual medium. but one artist isn’t enough. Here Russell decides to give artist teams each a chapter to create.

The Graveyard Book is awesome, and in Russell’s graphic novel adaptation of  Neil Gaiman’s Newbery Award-winning novel, other artists have distilled that exquisiteness into a new form. Sometimes the tale is exceedingly grim (it begins with a blood covered knife and a crime scene) but at its heart, it’s about choosing how to live. Not recommended for young children, but highly reommended for teens and adults.

Contains: Graphic violence, dark themes

Reviewed by Michele Lee

Editor’s Note: I think the illustrations in the original book are more shocking and leave more to the imagination than the graphic novel, which is, well, much more graphic. Either way, it’s a compelling story, with impressive artwork, and it’s pretty neat to see it adapted into another format– fans of Gaiman’s who love his comic books and graphic novels but have never encountered The Graveyard Book are being given an incredible opportunity. I do want to emphasize that, as Michele notes, because it is much more graphic and detailed, the graphic novel is not child-appropriate. Handle with care– and enjoy!